Pekin Duckling skin concern

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!
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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!
View attachment 2670357View attachment 2670358
From the photos it looks normal actually. Before they start to grow feather their down will thin out. Typically the wings and underbelly are where new feathers first start growing. At 10 days down thinning out is normal and around 14 days+ is when you will start to notice little patches of feather growth.
 
From the photos it looks normal actually. Before they start to grow feather their down will thin out. Typically the wings and underbelly are where new feathers first start growing. At 10 days down thinning out is normal and around 14 days+ is when you will start to notice little patches of feather growth.
Thank you AstroDuck, they got time in the water today and this is what they looks like wet which shows more of the fluff loss.

They are super active and super hungry all the time. Acting normal, but looking a little pathetic.
 

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Thank you AstroDuck, they got time in the water today and this is what they looks like wet which shows more of the fluff loss.

They are super active and super hungry all the time. Acting normal, but looking a little pathetic.
Glad you asked about this because mine were looking like this just now when we’re and I thought it must be losing baby feathers and getting ready for grown up ones, but still had me concerned!
 

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