What Is Wrong With Her Wings

[Nenanicole]

Hello! I have a 1.5 year old Pekin who started to molt in February. Here in Michigan, winter was far from over so she stopped mid-molt. Ever since her molt paused, her feathers have not fully grown in and they are starting to look “rotten”. I’m assuming part of it has to do with her boyfriend standing on her back but none of my other girls have this issue! We have been keeping an eye on it and bugs have not been interested and the other ducks are not picking at her. Any ideas?

 

[ruthhope]

I really dont have any suggestions only comisserations: I have a juvenile pekin with a tail and butt end looking like that. His tail feathers stopped growing and began to look broken off just like your girl's wing feathers. If she is eating, drinking and laying, I would not worry about her. I'm sure she's a beautiful girl despite her tatty wings

 

[Bolfreak]

Just some thoughts, use anything that applies.
Does she have an ingrown feather that’s causing her (or someone else) to pick at it?
Usually if I have a picking problem (or zealous drakes), I put some Desitin on it, one taste usually does the trick lol
Give her some warmish baths by herself with a little bit of tea tree & coconut oil in the water. No eating or breeding, just try and stimulate her oil gland or have her do it, in case she has wet feather.
Feed her a high protein and some fat to help her heal and grow feathers.
Check her for parasites and deworm with Safeguard a few times.
It really looks like she’s got an ingrown or blood feather and she’s picking at it, try soaking and cleaning but also something drying like Blue cote to keep her from pecking it. I wouldn’t bandage since that would trap moisture.
Separate her unless it stresses her out too much with her own pool and food where she can see everyone else but not be bothered.
Keep us posted!

 

[Bolfreak]

I also noticed her neck in the one picture, she’s definitely getting feathers pulled by the drake. Normally it’s not a big deal, but she can deal with it better once she’s healthy.
Separating her for awhile should help, or put your drake in jail or the freezer until she’s improved
You have to be careful with Pekins overeating, but females really need good nutrition because all of their activities are stressful: laying eggs, sitting on eggs, molting, etc.

 

[Nenanicole]

I also noticed her neck in the one picture, she’s definitely getting feathers pulled by the drake. Normally it’s not a big deal, but she can deal with it better once she’s healthy.
Separating her for awhile should help, or put your drake in jail or the freezer until she’s improved
You have to be careful with Pekins overeating, but females really need good nutrition because all of their activities are stressful: laying eggs, sitting on eggs, molting, etc.

Oh yes! Her boyfriend does a number on her head feathers…. But she encourages him too so I feel less bad. We had them separated for a few weeks and all her head feathers came back! Within a couple days, he had her bald again. We feed Purina duck pellets and add brewers yeast daily. Anything else you would recommend?

 

[Nenanicole]

Just some thoughts, use anything that applies.
Does she have an ingrown feather that’s causing her (or someone else) to pick at it?
Usually if I have a picking problem (or zealous drakes), I put some Desitin on it, one taste usually does the trick lol
Give her some warmish baths by herself with a little bit of tea tree & coconut oil in the water. No eating or breeding, just try and stimulate her oil gland or have her do it, in case she has wet feather.
Feed her a high protein and some fat to help her heal and grow feathers.
Check her for parasites and deworm with Safeguard a few times.
It really looks like she’s got an ingrown or blood feather and she’s picking at it, try soaking and cleaning but also something drying like Blue cote to keep her from pecking it. I wouldn’t bandage since that would trap moisture.
Separate her unless it stresses her out too much with her own pool and food where she can see everyone else but not be bothered.
Keep us posted!

Nobody has been picking at her that we have noticed but not sure if she is picking at it herself. The boys and girls are separated at night so that gives her a break from her boyfriend’s claws on her back. If it is ingrown, will it heal on its own?
I love the Desitin idea!
I’m not familiar with wet feather…. What is the cause?
What do you suggest for fats?
We are all clear for parasites!
She gets so stressed everyone is not in her line of sight. My 5 pekins are the most closely bonded out of my pack! Maybe we will try a separate pool in the coop while the others are fenced off

 

[Nenanicole]

I really dont have any suggestions only comisserations: I have a juvenile pekin with a tail and butt end looking like that. His tail feathers stopped growing and began to look broken off just like your girl's wing feathers. If she is eating, drinking and laying, I would not worry about her. I'm sure she's a beautiful girl despite her tatty wings

Thank you for saying that! She is such a sweet and beautiful girl even if she has feathers “only a mama could love”

 

[CoriM]

Does she have access to daily fresh swimming water? That would be very important for ducks feather health! She will eventually molt and then can grow in better feathers.

 

[Bolfreak]

Nobody has been picking at her that we have noticed but not sure if she is picking at it herself. The boys and girls are separated at night so that gives her a break from her boyfriend’s claws on her back. If it is ingrown, will it heal on its own?
I love the Desitin idea!
I’m not familiar with wet feather…. What is the cause?
What do you suggest for fats?
We are all clear for parasites!
She gets so stressed everyone is not in her line of sight. My 5 pekins are the most closely bonded out of my pack! Maybe we will try a separate pool in the coop while the others are fenced off

Wet feather is in ducks that can’t bathe and groom themselves, their oil gland also stops working. She needs deep, clean water that’s tepid and then be able to groom/dry herself uninterrupted (if your boy is going at her in the pool and constantly she probably doesn’t get her spa time). You can gently massage the oil gland near her tail to kickstart it as well. If she doesn’t like being alone, she can bring along a girl buddy, a bathtub is a great place for this, then a nice warm or sunny place to dry and groom afterwards. You can try coconut oil on her wingtips, if she eats it it’s fine and there’s your dietary fat source just don’t overdo it since her feathers are already greasy.
You can always spoil her with treats to get some calories in, like peas in the bath, she can eat floaties and dive for the sinkers.
Do they have access to oyster shell? Mine ignore the pebbles, I get flaked oyster shells (basically crushed seashells) and put it next to some water to flush it down.
If she’s pecking herself, it could be anxiety like in parrots and she might need a cone until her feathers repair some. I would separate the drake as much as possible, they do fine in jail and she won’t be alone.