Totally bare wing and tail feathers

[shailey]

I noticed this awhile ago but figured they’d molt out or something, my ducks have totally bare wing and tail feathers! Is this a deficiency or mites or something? Not all of them have it. I’ve also noticed they aren’t fully waterproof so I’m definitely thinking deficiency, but what kind?

For context; they’re around 5 years old now, and they eat all flock pellets. They’re blue runners, I don’t believe they all still lay but the few that do anyways give bright eggs with nice hard shells.

Any help is greatly appreciated ^^

 

[Miss Lydia]

Beautiful Runners mine are all turning white too.
Have you looked them over for any parasites? lice attach to the feather shafts and mites are tiny pepper-like specks that move.
You could try some extra protein for their feathers but they could just need a good molt.
Someone mentioned Feather fixer? I've never used it but it may help.
I give my Flock dried mealworms and dry dog food for extra protein when going through a molt and for a treat.

 

[shailey]

Beautiful Runners mine are all turning white too.
Have you looked them over for any parasites? lice attach to the feather shafts and mites are tiny pepper-like specks that move.
You could try some extra protein for their feathers but they could just need a good molt.
Someone mentioned Feather fixer? I've never used it but it may help.
I give my Flock dried mealworms and dry dog food for extra protein when going through a molt and for a treat.

Thank you for the advice! I have looked them over but I didn't see anything, I went ahead and cleaned their coop out and sprayed for mites just in case, though. I've heard of feather fixer but I've never used it, might have to give it a go

My only worry is that these guys have already molted just earlier this summer, along with my geese. My geese's feathers all look fine, nice and healthy, same with my chickens. It's just my ducks that have got this problem which is so weird to me, before they molted they all had fine feathers but they grew back like this. I'll definitely give them some extra protein to see if it fixes anything

 

[Miss Lydia]

It could be something lacking in their diet but if your geese and chickens feathers are looking good maybe not, But wouldn't hurt to add some extra protein for a while and see if that helps. Do you have drakes? they can mess up feathers climbing on for breeding.
If they have already molted for this year then it may not be molt. Feathers are made up of protein so hopefully adding some extra protein will help.

 

[shailey]

It could be something lacking in their diet but if your geese and chickens feathers are looking good maybe not, But wouldn't hurt to add some extra protein for a while and see if that helps. Do you have drakes? they can mess up feathers climbing on for breeding.
If they have already molted for this year then it may not be molt. Feathers are made up of protein so hopefully adding some extra protein will help.

My first thought was my drake possibly messing up their feathers, but his wing feathers seem all wacky too, just not as much. I’ll definitely see if more protein helps, I’m sure they won’t complain about more treats lol

 

[Miss Lydia]

Give it a few weeks and see if there is an improvement. Be sure to post and let us know.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

What brand of all flock are they on or do you know the Methionine levels in it? Methionine is crucial for feather health and growth. I have one duck who in particular won't molt properly if she isn't on a higher dose of it.