Sick duck! HELP!

[farm girl]

I have a male duck that is an mallard. He has gooy stuf coming into the sides of his eyes nad he is just standing, or laying! He has always been active til. today! Help! He is also multing his feathers, and the new fathers look like a females feathers! I know for a fact that he is a male! He is almost 2 years old! I need help quick!

 

[farm girl]

he died the next day.

 

[BantamLover21]

First of all, I'm sorry about your loss. I don't know what was causing the gooiness in your duck's eyes, but I do know why he looked as though he was turning into a female. Most years, male ducks molt. First, they grow in female looking feathers. This set of feathers is known as eclipse plumage. In the wild, it helps ducks stay camouflaged from predators while their wings feathers are still growing in, and they can't fly to escape. After a male duck takes on the appearance of a female for a little while, he male feathers grow in, and he looks normal again. I do not think your duck's molting was related at all to the gooiness in his eyes.