Pekin pulled wing feathers out on companion - bloody wounds!!!!! Help

[MarieNC]

Hello - I posted below about one 5 week old Pekin pulling the feathers out of the other 5 week old Pekin from time to time. Well in the time it took me to post that question the slightly bigger Pekin had torn out the wing feathers on the smaller Pekin on both wings to the point where there were open wounds on both sides! I was absolutely horrified. It happened so quickly! They have been inseparable since I got them at two days old. I had them outside for awhile today to get acquainted with my other two ducks (Rouens) and then I brought them back in the house for the night. Anyway, I put Blu-Kote on the wounds and now have them in separate cages but I don't know what to do next! They seemed to just adore one another, having to be near each other at all times, and getting upset when they were separated, even for a minute. I'm just so upset about this. What do I do now?

 

[The Duck ABC's]

This can happen due to a deficiency or lack of physical space. Make sure they are both on a poultry vitamin supplement. A lack of protein can also cause this. So here you should have them on 16% protein. My guess it is a vitamin/mineral deficiency and a supplement should take care of that. Feed stores sell them.

 

[MarieNC]

The Duck ABC's :

This can happen due to a deficiency or lack of physical space. Make sure they are both on a poultry vitamin supplement. A lack of protein can also cause this. So here you should have them on 16% protein. My guess it is a vitamin/mineral deficiency and a supplement should take care of that. Feed stores sell them.

The Purina Flock Raiser is 20% protein. I can try a vitamin/mineral supplement - I'll see what the feed store has available. Worried about them.​

 

[duckyfromoz]

Does the feather picking happen when inside or outside the house- or both?? It can be through boredom that older ducklings will do this to each other regardless if the brooder is overcrowded or not.

 

[gofasterstripe]

I have a feather plucker and you can tell him straigh off when you walk into their run...s/he is the one sitting on his lonesome. He goes in the pool and plucks feathers off anyone who comes within plucking distance...even the goslings, everone runs from him/her, he even made a duckling bleed last week. He only does it when when there is someone close to him he doesnt go out of his way to chase to pluck. His days are numbered if he is a drake, sorry to say.