The Duck Thread

[quackerboysinPA]

Help! Question about ingrown feathers and resulting bald spot!

Our pekin just went to the vet for some ingrown feathers. We caught them early, as the last 2 springs we did not know he had them until they abscessed and burst. This year he has some "matted" ingrown feathers with sebum plugs on his chest and our vet loosened up the area and pulled some out but after the area soften more today, I pulled out more plugs and ingrown feathers.

Now he has a bald patch the size of a quarter on his chest where you see his bare skin. I didn't remove any good feathers - just a lot of yellow scabby gunk and tiny ingrown feathers that were no good and covering his skin.

The tissue otherwise looks healthy and I cleaned it with antiseptic and ointment the vet have us. He's also on oral antibiotics.
Just want to make sure new feathers will grow in that spot and wondering how long it will take. I hope I didn't pull too much - I did what the vet did yesterday because she said if they aren't cleaned out, they become an abscess full of infection if the feathers remain stuck in there.

Thanks so much! Just don't want my poor guy to have a bald chest forever!

 

[farm n louisana]

They quack they both sound the same one not louder then the other so I figure there both the same sex just not sure wat sex

 

[Miss Lydia]

They quack they both sound the same one not louder then the other so I figure there both the same sex just not sure wat sex

Well ducks are loud quackers, drakes sound raspy.

Pekin drake sound

 

[NewToChix]

Do you have a small hand held mirror that doesn't have sharp edges? and a stuffed animal? they can help till you decide but I'd go for another duckling unless you know someone who would take this one. put the mirror down inside the brooder and the stuffy it will cuddle with.

We are suckers. Just went and got a friend from the same lady that we got our chickens. Appleyard/ Welsh harlequin mix...? Looks like the baby mallard only bigger.

 

[Miss Lydia]

We are suckers. Just went and got a friend from the same lady that we got our chickens. Appleyard/ Welsh harlequin mix...? Looks like the baby mallard only bigger.

Well how are things going? have they met yet?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Help! Question about ingrown feathers and resulting bald spot!

Our pekin just went to the vet for some ingrown feathers. We caught them early, as the last 2 springs we did not know he had them until they abscessed and burst. This year he has some "matted" ingrown feathers with sebum plugs on his chest and our vet loosened up the area and pulled some out but after the area soften more today, I pulled out more plugs and ingrown feathers.

Now he has a bald patch the size of a quarter on his chest where you see his bare skin. I didn't remove any good feathers - just a lot of yellow scabby gunk and tiny ingrown feathers that were no good and covering his skin.

The tissue otherwise looks healthy and I cleaned it with antiseptic and ointment the vet have us. He's also on oral antibiotics.
Just want to make sure new feathers will grow in that spot and wondering how long it will take. I hope I didn't pull too much - I did what the vet did yesterday because she said if they aren't cleaned out, they become an abscess full of infection if the feathers remain stuck in there.

Thanks so much! Just don't want my poor guy to have a bald chest forever!

I've never seen this before but I would think when your drake molts the new feathers would come back in. Don't know for sure though how about the vet did they know?

 

[quackerboysinPA]

I've never seen this before but I would think when your drake molts the new feathers would come back in. Don't know for sure though how about the vet did they know?

Well she thinks they will come back in his rump area that is bald from removing ingrown feathers (near his oil gland which is being treated for infection). I assume when ducks get bitten by predators or feathers pulled by other bully ducks that new feathers grow back in the bald spot. I have read that this happens with chickens whose feathers are pulled by roosters or bullies.

We think he over preened himself this winter out of boredom bc it was so cold and he spent a lot of time indoors. And maybe that is how some got ingrown. Just hoping feathers return in the spot where we pulled the little ingrowns!

 

[farm n louisana]

Thanks they sound like 2 females

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks they sound like 2 females

So now you need a drake?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well she thinks they will come back in his rump area that is bald from removing ingrown feathers (near his oil gland which is being treated for infection). I assume when ducks get bitten by predators or feathers pulled by other bully ducks that new feathers grow back in the bald spot. I have read that this happens with chickens whose feathers are pulled by roosters or bullies.

We think he over preened himself this winter out of boredom bc it was so cold and he spent a lot of time indoors. And maybe that is how some got ingrown. Just hoping feathers return in the spot where we pulled the little ingrowns!

I hope so too. I have a Black Australorp hen who is bald from an over zealous rooster[ he has since gone to a new home] but he just about pulled all her feathers out of her head, I am still waiting for them to come back in, I'm thinking it won't be till molt, Chickens are pretty ugly when bald.

Seems as long as the feather shaft is still there a new feather will grow back in, Keep us updated.