molting shock!

[tmarr]

My two Jumbo Pekins have been molting away (they're about 18wks) which has been going fine but I've just been out to see them and the one who I thought was male has lost his tail feathers,it's awful he looks like he's been through a shredder or been attacked by something!!! Are they mean't to lose these feathers too?

 

[Amykins]

That's how mine went! They grow in their adolescent feathers, then drop those almost immediately and grow in their adult feathers. I don't really get why either, but that's how it is. I know Pekes are bred to grow quickly, so maybe that means they drop their feathers en masse instead of one by one. If he doesn't grow any new ones then that's reason to worry. But for now just keep an eye on him.

But like I said, I just deal with calls (who never seem to want to drop feathers at all) so take my comment with a grain of salt. Any other Pekin owners that can weigh in?

 

[tmarr]

I couldn't believe it lol he'd just got lovely tail feathers then wham! Hopefully that's what it will be, I'd noticed them flirting for the first today as well. Mylo was lying flat in the water trying to entice him!

 

[seachainanmadra]

My Pekins seem to lose feathers like crazy! It could be more noticeable because they're bright white, but when they go through any molting phase at all, it looks like something attacked them. I picked up my male last week for just a minute and he lost half of his wing feathers as he "flew" off my lap! I've stopped worrying and started collecting the down I find for a pillow. I've got three quart size ziplock bags saved from their juvenile molt last fall (most of which came from two Pekins), and going strong on more from the babies I hatched this spring.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

What you're seeing is completely normal, but I agree it can be alarming. Sometimes our adult pen looks like 50 kids had a pillow fight in it, so many feathers that it's hard to understand how the number of ducks could even have that many feathers. All the feathers will come back, and they'll look even better than they did before.

 

[tmarr]

Thanks! It really looks like something has bit of his back end lol!! On a happier note he's getting there with mylo, almost made it on top of her!

 

[Sfraker]

I picked up one of my WH girls the other day and almost dropped her because so many feathers came out! It was like an exploding duck! LOL! I can't stand to look at her wings as they are bare on the edges and the new feathers are just starting to come in. She looks awful and she was my only Gold WH and by far the prettiest.

I did collect up the feathers that went flying for my crafty sister and brother in law. I hope they can make use of them. They were gorgeous white with flecks of brown.

 

[tmarr]

Awww! My yard looks like a feather pillow lol hadn't thought about doing anything with them but it might be a good idea before I drown in them!!!

 

[cayugaducklady]

My cayugas are molting, too.

It does look like an exploding duck went off in their night pen. But without those feathers I wouldn't have found the only space in the night pen that is out of view of the camera.

Any one else's ducks get downy feather bits stuck in their nares? One of my hens in particular always ends up with a few downy bits poking out of her nares after grooming. I don't see how she stands it.

 

[tmarr]

Yes my two get it stuck there all the time! It would drive me nuts but they seem ok with it!