Jessaleabea
Hatching
- May 14, 2021
- 5
- 0
- 9
Hi there, new to caring for ducklings. I have 4 Pekin ducklings, 10 days old. All but 1 seem to be losing fluff on their underside from their lower abdomen toward the area between their legs.
They are in an indoor brooder (83°) and the pine shavings are changed daily. They are free feeding Mannapro's non medicated starter grower for ducklings and goslings. I feed them peas and cucumbers (chopped) as treats, ~10% of their diet.They have access to clean water.
They are preening in the areas that are thinning and I noticed the fluff on their wings is thinning on the edges and where the wing meets the shoulder too.
It seems too early to be feathers, but you'll notice from the photos that the skin is pink to reddish and it looks like there a little pin feathers there. I've observed them and they aren't picking at each other, but do seem a little itchy since the preening is new today.
Tomorrow is their first swim (supervised of course).
Any insight folks can offer on the thinning fluff would be helpful. I am stressed!
They are in an indoor brooder (83°) and the pine shavings are changed daily. They are free feeding Mannapro's non medicated starter grower for ducklings and goslings. I feed them peas and cucumbers (chopped) as treats, ~10% of their diet.They have access to clean water.
They are preening in the areas that are thinning and I noticed the fluff on their wings is thinning on the edges and where the wing meets the shoulder too.
It seems too early to be feathers, but you'll notice from the photos that the skin is pink to reddish and it looks like there a little pin feathers there. I've observed them and they aren't picking at each other, but do seem a little itchy since the preening is new today.
Tomorrow is their first swim (supervised of course).
Any insight folks can offer on the thinning fluff would be helpful. I am stressed!