Why Is My Duck Losing Feathers? 4 Causes, Symptoms, and Remedies
Ducks losing feathers can be a thing to be concerned about. While they start losing feathers, it might not be something you would like. Plus, it might increase the possibility of other severe illnesses.
But Why Is My Duck Losing Feathers? It might happen due to a variety of reasons. Molting is a natural process for ducks losing feathers. But they can also lose feathers due to stress and improper environment. Captivated ducks might lose feathers due to a specific behavior called feather pecking. Except for molting, all other reasons have to be looked after well.
However, all the causes of feather loss aren’t alarming. Some might be a natural process. Let’s deep dive into the topic and try to find out everything about ducks losing feathers, at least in a nutshell.
Table of Contents
Why Is My Duck Losing Feathers? 4 Reasons, Symptoms and Solution Analysis
The causes of feather loosing are quite expected. But there are some shocking (or interesting) reasons that you should know. No more talk. Let’s just start off the conversation.
1. Molting
Ducks naturally shed their feathers twice a year in a process called molting. This helps them stay healthy. That’s a natural process. Unlike chickens, ducks lose all their feathers at once, and new ones grow in a few weeks.
Most ducks molt in three seasons.
- The middle of summer
- In late winter
- In early spring.
However, there are two types of ducks: Muscovy and Mallard. Let’s see shortly how and when they molt.
Mallard Ducks:
Mallard ducks include Pekins, Swedish, Indian Runner, and more. They might migrate, so when they molt depends on when they mate and move. Even domesticated Mallard ducks act this way due to their genes.
Mallard ducks have unique molting patterns. Male and female Mallard ducks molt at different times. Moreover, molting can vary due to genes, weather, care, and more. It usually takes 1-2 months, but it varies.
Muscovy Ducks:
They don’t migrate and live in warm places. They can fly but usually don’t travel much. Among them, usually only female ducks molt. They shed feathers to make comfy nests. Most female ducks lose feathers during this nesting molt.
If you see your duck losing feathers, it’s probably just molting, a natural and healthy thing. Give them good care, and their feathers will be back soon.
Related Reading: Ducks Molting Behavior
2. Feather Pecking
The first reason for feather loss isn’t a disease but a behavior of ducks. It’s called feather pecking. It is a common behavior in ducks, but it can become a problem when it spreads in the flock.
What basically is this behavior? It’s basically when a duck or flock runs after a single duck or might chase a couple of ducks and attack them. In severe cases, it can be deadly for the ducks that are being attacked.
This behavior often starts because ducks are attracted to shiny and colorful feathers, especially on drakes.
Feather pecking can have various causes, such as poor environmental conditions, overcrowding, low lighting, or the presence of aggressive birds in the flock.
There might be another thing called feather picking. In this case, ducks also lose their feathers.
But let me clear out one thing. Feather pecking and feather picking aren’t the same thing. However, both are avian behavior patterns. But feather picking is kind of a self-harm instinct of birds such as parrots. However, ducks do not show any feather-picking signs. So, hypothetically, it’s not a duck behavior.
Animal science experts stated the reasons for feather pecking and feather picking are still unknown, and further research is required for this.
What are the Feather Pecking Symptoms?
The symptoms are shocking. They’ll lose feathers for sure, which can lead to open skin and wounds on the ducks. But the shocking thing is, if this is left unchecked, this behavior can escalate into cannibalism! In this phase, ducks peck at each other’s exposed skin and get wounded.
This is absolutely real. A zoo keeper at the University of Wisconsin, Minnesota, witnessed cannibalism between the Mallards and Muscovys, which made him feel shocked!
What to Do?
To prevent feather loss due to pecking, make sure your ducks have a well-maintained environment. Provide adequate space, clean water, and proper lighting.
Remove any aggressive birds from the flock, and if you have an injured duck, isolate it until it heals. When reintroducing a healed duck, monitor the flock to prevent further pecking.
Suggested reading: Why Do Ducks Have Angel Wing
3. Environmental Factors
Environmental factors can also contribute to feather loss in ducks. Poor living conditions, lack of clean water, and infestations of mites or lice will surely affect your duck’s health and feathers negatively. To maintain healthy feathers in your ducks, ensure they have access to clean water and nutrient-rich food.
Symptoms That the Environment isn’t Good
If the environment isn’t good, they might develop unhealthy feathers. It will also cause your ducks to lose feathers or develop issues, blemishes, and injuries.
In addition, do not forget that feathers play a crucial role in keeping ducks warm and protected. So, it’s essential to address any environmental issues that may affect them.
Provide Proper Care
To prevent feather loss due to environmental issues, focus on good care practices. Here’s how you should do this.
- First, you have to separate the duck that is being attacked if you want to save him.
- Ensure your ducks have clean water for drinking and cleaning themselves.
- Feed them a nutritious diet to meet their energy needs throughout the day.
- Regularly inspect and clean their living area to prevent infestations.
4. Stress in Ducks
Your ducks’ mental well-being is important. If they aren’t happy and moving spontaneously, they will be stressed. And this will eventually turn out to be a reason for feather losing. Some stressors to watch out for are as follows:
- Extreme temperatures
- Illness
- Lack of clean water
- Inadequate food
And if your ducks are stressed, they might show these signs.
- Open skin
- Reduced egg production
- Digestive problems, as they can’t break down their food properly.
Solution
To prevent feather loss due to stress, identify and reduce stressors in your duck’s environment.
Ensure they have a comfortable and consistent living environment with proper temperature control. Keep the environment clean and keep them at an ideal temperature (20 – 40 degree Celsius).
Provide clean water and nutritious food such as cracked corn, oats, regular duck feed, green veggies, and fruits as an occasional treat. Doing this will minimize potential stress-related feather loss.
Regular health checks can help detect and address any illnesses promptly.
However, I’m including a video here for clear understanding.
Recommended Article:
Bottom Line
Ducks lose feathers due to molting, a natural process of having new feathers in them. But, apart from that, if the reason is something else like feather pecking, stress, or if they’re in an improper environment, it’s alarming. Taking adequate action, lessening their stress, and initially separating the feather-losing duck is ideal.
However, if they’re not looked after well, it might shock you! A duck with a lost feather influences the flock to show cannibalism! It’s still unknown why they’re doing this. Some witnessed incidents, but the root of the behavior still requires in-depth study.
Sources And References:
- https://www.researchgate.net/publication/5795748_Flightlessness_and_the_energetic_cost_of_wing_molt_in_a_large_sea_duck
- https://www.businessinsider.com/animals-that-are-cannibals-2018-12
