Sick duck possible bruising

[newduck02]

Why oats duck feed should be all they need.

They really like oats

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I can't tell from the picture, but is it scabby or swollen? If you touch it is is gushy like blood is pooling under the skin or is it simply discolored skin? Is everything else normal? Any swelling in the legs?

 

[newduck02]

I can't tell from the picture, but is it scabby or swollen? If you touch it is is gushy like blood is pooling under the skin or is it simply discolored skin? Is everything else normal? Any swelling in the legs?

It is definitely scabby and swollen however there is no blood pooling under the skin. Everything else is normal tho

 

[citymeetscountry]

Last year @arwoon replied to a post I had about possibly bruising saying that chicken and duck bruises are green. Not sure if that’s a thing or not. But last year I had a duck that had a reddish purplish spot that I thought might have been a bruise. Best I can guess looking back was it was a burn from the heater.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

It is definitely scabby and swollen however there is no blood pooling under the skin. Everything else is normal tho

If it's scabby and swollen then most likely the duckling itself or the other duckling is picking at it. There can be multiple reasons why which can be stress from overcrowding, stress from overheating and nutritional deficiencies. Are your ducklings in that tote most of the time? What heat source are you using and how close is it to the brooder? I know you said duckling feed, but what brand? Also Pekins are extremely prone to nutritional deficiencies due to their fast and rapid growth. Giving them oats will cut the nutrition they are receiving from the duckling feed because it will fill up their stomach with carbs causing them to eat less of the duckling feed. I would highly recommend keeping oats to a minimum of a handful once a week at most.

 

[Quatie]

If it's scabby and swollen then most likely the duckling itself or the other duckling is picking at it. There can be multiple reasons why which can be stress from overcrowding, stress from overheating and nutritional deficiencies. Are your ducklings in that tote most of the time? What heat source are you using and how close is it to the brooder? I know you said duckling feed, but what brand? Also Pekins are extremely prone to nutritional deficiencies due to their fast and rapid growth. Giving them oats will cut the nutrition they are receiving from the duckling feed because it will fill up their stomach with carbs causing them to eat less of the duckling feed. I would highly recommend keeping oats to a minimum of a handful once a week at most.

I agree with @HollowOfWisps that the oats could be the problem. I know a lot of people recommend using oats to cut down the protein content in the feed. But I don't agree with it, because if they primarily eat the oats they end up lacking the proper nutrients. However when birds don't get enough protein they will sometimes start eating feathers to try and increase their protein.

Also looking back, was it a typo that these ducklings are 5 weeks old? They normally have more feathers by now. I would guess they were more like 3 weeks old.