Separate sleeping quarters?

Gaynor · **Joined:** Tue May 12, 2009 11:19 am **Posts:** 49

Evening all.
Just noticed the back of the neck of one of my Pekin girls is quite thin. I have three girls and one boy. The one thinning was the first to start laying and has been looking a bit scruffy since then too - molting? The other girls are also looking like they are molting but no balding of the necks. I think it is the boy being a little rough and thought that I might try separating boy from girls at night to give them a bit of a rest - what do you think? I believe laying ducks do molt a bit too... is that correct? They are all happy, well fed, free-ranging ducks and would only be separated by wire if needing separate sleeping quarters..
Hope to hear from some of you soon :0)

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

I assume moulting as it is that time of year
also my geese are in the middle of a massive moult = some are near bald especially around the neck = naked neck geese [smilie=a_makeitstop.gif]

neighbours with ducks have feathers everywhere too

can you observe them to see if the male is rough with them?
another reason for feather loss around the neck is mites - you could treat them

others with good knowledge of ducks will be able to answer better
I am just hypothesising

originbreed · **Posted:** Tue Feb 19, 2013 8:57 am

you may find if the drake is young, he may not have the technique when mating.
he could be holding on to the feathers on the back of the ducks neck during mating and keeps a tight grip of them when he falls off the ducks back. he could be just very rough.
if she is laying he would be doing his job
once they lay and incubate the eggs, the duck moults and the feathers are replaced.

oozcorpse · **Joined:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:15 am **Posts:** 2715

originbreed wrote:

once they lay and incubate the eggs, the duck moults and the feathers are replaced.

I have learnt something new today :-D

life is a learning curve so thank you originbreed

Gaynor · **Joined:** Tue May 12, 2009 11:19 am **Posts:** 49

Thanks guys.. he is a very young drake, and very clumsy (!!) so I think that's it :0)

Gaynor · **Joined:** Tue May 12, 2009 11:19 am **Posts:** 49

Just noticed the drake trying to mate and yup.. he hasn't yet mastered the technique!! The girls' neck feathers still seem quite thin so I again wonder if I should separate them during the nights to give the girls a rest or just let nature do its thing..? The girls haven't been laying the past few days so have been worried that they may be a little stressed... let me know what you think :0)

Gaynor · **Joined:** Tue May 12, 2009 11:19 am **Posts:** 49

One duck is still not laying.. any advice out there?

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