whats wrong with my friends ducks?

[TherryChicken]

I am posting this for a friend. She said her ducks are losing their head, neck, and chest feather and are producing what looks like fowl pox.
Do you think they could be molting and just itching those more bare areas raw till they bleed and scab over? Or maybe perasites? She said they are not laying eggs either

 

[TherryChicken]

Tshe said they are eatting and drinking well

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am posting this for a friend. She said her ducks are losing their head, neck, and chest feather and are producing what looks like fowl pox.
Do you think they could be molting and just itching those more bare areas raw till they bleed and scab over? Or maybe perasites? She said they are not laying eggs either

Looking at the pen floor makes me think molting. I can't see anything wrong with their faces. Mosquito's cause fowl pox so if she has alot of them it could be I haven't ever seen fowl pox in Muscovy's though. Parasites could be she needs to pick them up check under their wings looking at skin and also around their vent. Does she give them swimming water all the time? usually if water fowl have a way to bathe they can stay pretty clear of external parasites.

 

[TherryChicken]

Im not sure let me ask her and yeah I thought that too.. I as well havent heard fowl pox in ducks in general.

 

[TherryChicken]

Yes constant water for them to bathe in.

 

[JadeComputerGal]

I agree with Miss Lydia on both counts, and she has far more experience than I do. I can't see anything wrong with the ducks themselves in the pics even enlarging them. It could be molting, but I've never seen a duck do what you describe just because they're molting. That doesn't mean it couldn't happen since there are many things I haven't seen. It's normal for ducks to look kind of raggedy and to pluck and scratch themselves when they molt, but I've never personally seen or heard of one that will cause itself to bleed doing this just from molting.

I'm hoping your friend will take Miss Lydia's advice and very carefully check for parasites. Those can cause feather loss as well as intense itching that could cause the ducks to scratch to the point of bleeding. I don't need to be a mega-authority on that for ducks specifically since it's normal animal behavior. I've seen mammals that were badly infested with fleas do the same thing. The parasites cause so much itching that the animal doesn't care that it's already bleeding from the scratching.

 

[TherryChicken]

I agree with Miss Lydia on both counts, and she has far more experience than I do. I can't see anything wrong with the ducks themselves in the pics even enlarging them. It could be molting, but I've never seen a duck do what you describe just because they're molting. That doesn't mean it couldn't happen since there are many things I haven't seen. It's normal for ducks to look kind of raggedy and to pluck and scratch themselves when they molt, but I've never personally seen or heard of one that will cause itself to bleed doing this just from molting.

I'm hoping your friend will take Miss Lydia's advice and very carefully check for parasites. Those can cause feather loss as well as intense itching that could cause the ducks to scratch to the point of bleeding. I don't need to be a mega-authority on that for ducks specifically since it's normal animal behavior. I've seen mammals that were badly infested with fleas do the same thing. The parasites cause so much itching that the animal doesn't care that it's already bleeding from the scratching.

yeah I mentioned both to her, so hopefully she can catch them and look for parasites.

 

[collingwood]

One of my muscovy ducks has the exact same thing but mine hasn't gone so far as making it bleed but I know she's not doing it herself because how would she get to the neck and she's also made a little nest out of the feathers but she's not broody because she's been like this for ages and only sitting on one egg.

 

[Amykins]

You said they have scabs? I hope it isn't beak and feather disease. :/ Lydia's probably right, it looks like normal molting, but if they're scabbed and itchy then there's definitely a bigger problem going on.

 

[TherryChicken]

 One of my muscovy ducks has the exact same thing but mine hasn't gone so far as making it bleed but I know she's not doing it herself because how would she get to the neck and she's also made a little nest out of the feathers but she's not broody because she's been like this for ages and only sitting on one egg.

interesting

You said they have scabs? I hope it isn't beak and feather disease. :/ Lydia's probably right, it looks like normal molting, but if they're scabbed and itchy then there's definitely a bigger problem going on.

well my friend thought it was avian pox by the look, but I dont believe ducks can get it.