Feather damage - mites? During molt

[biscotti]

Hello!

My runner boys have being going through molting the past couple of weeks, and one of them looks the roughest of all by a lot (he was like that as a duckling as well, so I think his default is to look like bad taxidermy unfortunately) BUT, yesterday I noticed what looked like lice in the bottom of their coop floor while I was cleaning. I did some research and immediately deep cleaned and refreshed everything, but this is still very new to me so I'm still learning. I didn't know that you should remove shed feathers from their run, and I'm worried that may have caused the lice to find them when normally it's not as common with ducks. I had a hard time making a new seperation area for them, so keeping their bedding in tip top shape wasnt easy and I've been adjusting to it. (taking care of the 4 of them separately is not easy lol) My runners also aren't used to being handled, so I'm cautious to do so unless absolutely nessecary, but I know that mite and lice treatments need to be done on the duck themselves to get rid of eggs and such.

Anyways, everyone is eating well and the other 3 look normal on the surface (apart from some regular molting appearances). But today I noticed some feather damage on the one guy who looks the roughest:

https://flic.kr/p/2q3Ga2g

https://flic.kr/p/2q3Ge13

Is this something that is a sign of mites or lice? Or something else? I've not noticed it on any of the other ducks.
This duck also got mildly roughed up by his brother while I was away on holiday last month for a couple weeks, so the back of his head is still a bit bare, but healing now I've seperated them. Could that feather damage be from previous fighting too that I just hadn't noticed?

Thank you for reading

 

[Miss Lydia]

Run you hand through his feathers slowly if he has mites they will get on you. Usually waterfowl rarely get lice or mites because they bathe so much. Do they have access to pools? Feather damage can defiantly come from fighting.

 

[biscotti]

Run you hand through his feathers slowly if he has mites they will get on you. Usually waterfowl rarely get lice or mites because they bathe so much. Do they have access to pools? Feather damage can defiantly come from fighting.

I'll try to feel his feathers tomorrow! They have access every day to their own large water bucket/container outside, and usually bathe multiple times a day in it. I change the water daily. Its big enough for them to float when full of water and turn around to clean themselves. I'm sure they miss their shared pool, but this was the compromise while they are in hormone mode seperation haha.

 

[FNF]

I'd like to piggy back on this thread - one of my ladies has a little bare spot above her tail - she's also the one that seems to show broody behavior more often than the others. This isn't a great picture but you can see it's more bare/pink there under her wingtips. What could this be? I don't have a drake. Everyone acting fine, eating, drinking, preening.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It could be molt, have you looked her over for mites or lice just to rule them out? You may not have a drake but females will climb on top of each other too. That is such a cleaned off area there I'm not sure what that could be I have never seen one of my broody ducks pluck their feathers from that area.

 

[FNF]

It could be molt, have you looked her over for mites or lice just to rule them out? You may not have a drake but females will climb on top of each other too. That is such a cleaned off area there I'm not sure what that could be I have never seen one of my broody ducks pluck their feathers from that area.

I'm going to take a closer look (they don't like to be picked up), but out of the six, she's the only one that has it. The older three definitely do the Oompa Loompa mating dance in the pond though, I hope it's just that or a molt.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sorry, I read your reply wrong. I hope it's molt too just unusual for it to be there. She looks too healthy and other than the feather loss her feathers look in good shape of course hard for me to tell by a picture but what do you think. Mine don't like to be picked up either but sometimes it has to be done.

 

[FNF]

I picked her up and tried to look more closely - I didn’t see anything unusual. They certainly all act fine and the feathers look okay. I’m at a loss. I’ll keep an eye on her and see if they grow back. I love our flock but these little mysteries pop up from time to time and I’m lost!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I picked her up and tried to look more closely - I didn’t see anything unusual. They certainly all act fine and the feathers look okay. I’m at a loss. I’ll keep an eye on her and see if they grow back. I love our flock but these little mysteries pop up from time to time and I’m lost!

Happens to us all. Add some extra protein to their treats, Dried mealworms, and small dog or cat kibble [good quality] That can help with feather growth.

 

[FNF]

Happens to us all. Add some extra protein to their treats, Dried mealworms, and small dog or cat kibble [good quality] That can help with feather growth.

I think those feathers are coming in again, thankfully. Keeping an eye on her and they are getting many a treat