Weird crest on duckling neck???

[Tofu the chicken]

Is it just feathers or is it a bump.

Not quite a bump but it has like an appendage with feathers so it's not just feathers sorry im describing bad but idk how to describe

 

[Quatie]

Does it feel boney, squishy or a hard mass?

 

[Magnolia Ducks]

My experience with breasts is that they are feathers over a hole.

 

[Tofu the chicken]

Does it feel boney, squishy or a hard mass?

Squishy

 

[Miss Lydia]

Maybe just fatty skin with feathers. Maybe have a vet check it out.

 

[ruthhope]

The "crest" is probably fat cells with additional feathers. It might indicate a back of the skull or upper neck spine defect. As the duckling looks to be otherwise ok, it would seem that the brain or spinal cord is not prolapsing into the defect.

Although crested ducks have an inherited genetic problem that causes a defect on the top of the skull, its quite possible for a new genetic problem spontaneously happened in this duckling.

If it were my duckling, I would just treat it kindly/normally as you would any other duckling. I have two crested ducks. One additionally has a bony neck deformity a nd is smaller than the other Pekins from the same batch but she is a sweet, lively duck, she lays eggs, and lives a normal life with our flock. However, we will not try to increase our flock from her eggs as there is a 50:50 chance her offspring would be crested and could have additional skull/spine problems