Ducks loosing their wing feathers

[briggsy]

Hi,

I have a pair of White Campbells who have just not replaced their wing feathers after molting, it is 6 months plus now. I have them on 16% protein layers pellets and have supplemented their food with meal worms, slugs, and a wide range of herbs and greens. Also blackstrap molasses. They really should not be suffering from a poor diet!

One is also laying soft shelled eggs about 50% of the time.

Neither have stopped laying at any point.


We have recently aquired two new ducks, and the new white campbell is starting to show signs of the same thing after only 3 weeks which would suggest something external is the problem.


They have access to plenty of water for drinking and swimming.


Any suggestions.

 

[dorsetduckowner]

Hi they do sound like they have an excellent diet Campbells are bred for laying and often lay all year round, only stopping during a few weeks of molt, some don't even molt and continue to lay with their feathers become very tatty. This is a genetic thing due to selective breeding for high egg production and has a detrimental effect on the birds reproductive health.
Soft shell eggs could be indicative of a shell gland or oviduct infection and I would be tempted to get her on a course of antibiotics (if you have a duck friendly vet).
In the mean time I would add some brewers yeast to their diet and add some Zolcal to their drinking water.
In terms of their feathers not growing back, its hard to visualise how this is, have they grown a bit but not fully or did they never grow pin feathers or perhaps they have no moulted them and they have just become short and worn, have you checked for feather mite?
Some pictures may be helpful
zo
x

 

[briggsy]

Thanks Zo for the quick response.

I tried to take a photo, however it is so bright out there that the photo looked like a bunch of angels rather than ducks! Angels are they not.

I grabbed this from the internet which is pretty much identical.

I have not looked for feather mite as I thought it was only the head and necks which are affected. Head, neck, eyes and nose all good.
Could you give me some pointers on what I should be looking for with mites?

Thanks
Sarah

 

[dorsetduckowner]

ahh yes, this looks like they have not molted their wing feathers and they have just got tatty and worn down. I have a few laying girls that this happens to. There isn't much you can do really apart from hope they molt them at some point which they may do next year.
If you are really worried and you have a duck friendly vet and a friendly bank manager you can get Suprelorin implants for the girls which will stop them laying and bring on a molt, the implantsare about £85 each and may help your girl who is laying soft shell eggs.
Do they have free access to oyster shell?
You should be able to see lice if they have them, part the feathers and look for tiny grey flat things.

 

[briggsy]

Thanks, will take a close look.

Not really worried about their looks, just want them to be healthy.

They have free access to crushed cockle shell (we live by an estuary!) Also a poultry grit and shell mix. And they get their shells back.

 

[dorsetduckowner]

Sounds good! Just keep an eye on the girl laying soft shell eggs It could lead to egg yolk peritonitis.
zo
x

 

[briggsy]

Yes we've had that with two Khaki Campbells in the past, don't want that again.

So far everything has been delivered clean with no breaks. She's a lovely duck so I will keep close watch.

I have them on an oregano oil, plus occasional garlic for antibiotic purposes.

They are supplemented up to their eyeballs.

 

[dorsetduckowner]

Lucky girls