White Headed Drake?

[LLCoyote]

Ok, so oddly enough my drake (Welsh HQ) had a totally green head, is now getting white spots. It doesn't look like parasites, is this normal? I think the only harm it's doing is making him less pretty XD but I just want to be sure.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Quote:
Do you have a pic?

 

[DuckLover2399]

It's probably aging.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Quote:
X2 how old is he?

 

[LLCoyote]

He's barely a year, and I'll try to get a camera working tomarrow. They look like his under feathers. Like if I lift the green feathers, there are white feathers underneath. It's the same type of white.

 

[DUCKGIRL89]

Quote:
Hhhhmmmmm.... Where was he purchused?

 

[LLCoyote]

http://www.poultryhollow.org/ that is the gentleman I got him from. I can't ask HIM any questions because he's been remarkably unwilling to answer anything

 

[Alicia G]

Perhaps he isnt pure bred? I have had mallard base colored drakes have there heads turn whiter as they matured. Often these birds were offspring of Rouen x pekin or Roeun x snowy mallard. Hope that helps

 

[Amiga]

My chocolate and black runners all have some "snow," some more than others.

As far as I know, it's just a phenomenon among darker ducks - some of them start developing white feathers.

When Sieben's head started getting frosty spots, at first I was concerned, because it looked like her head and neck had mildew!

Closer inspection revealed white feathers. Shew!

Zwei has a white apron.

 

[learycow]

He's probably just molting. If he's under a year old, then it's about that time for him.
If he had a completely green head, and now it just looks like he's losing those green feathers, they will grow back. Did you get him before he had feathers? If so, then he should look similar to how he looked when he first grew feathers, before they turned green.
I have a drake that is molting right now and he looks that way too. It's been about a month and his green is just starting to grow in again. Some stay this way for most of the winter though, and won't grow their "pretty" feathers until mating season in the spring.