Male duck’s beak peeling…….

[Thelfrich]

So I just noticed that one of my drakes’ beak is peeling majorly! I honestly thought it was cracked at first but after closer examination it looks like it’s peeling. I have read that this can be normal and then I read somewhere else it can be an infection and should have anti fungal cream put on it daily. They will come up to me but it stresses them out to be picked up so I hate to do that if I don’t need to. Does this look normal to anybody? I also should mention that he is young, about 7 months old.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

It's normal. A duck's bill is made of keratin protein. Keratin has to shed old cells to create room for new cells.

 

[ruthhope]

Quite normal, dont worry. In my son's and my ducks, the great foragers have more pronounced peeling at times, but all the pekins' bills peel at times. The muscovies' bills not so much.

 

[Thelfrich]

It's normal. A duck's bill is made of keratin protein. Keratin has to shed old cells to create room for new cells.

Thank you so much!

 

[Thelfrich]

Quite normal, dont worry. In my son's and my ducks, the great foragers have more pronounced peeling at times, but all the pekins' bills peel at times. The muscovies' bills not so much.

Thank you! Huge relief!

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Sorry to hijack someone else's thread. This is my first Khaki Campbell drake so maybe (as above) I am surprised because my Muscovy girls didn't do this. He is starting to peel a little.

It is winter so he isn't foraging, I bring them in the house for a proper bath in the tub, they have a bath in their space, but the bathroom tub is deep enough to dabble. (Yeah, spoiled) their coop tub is big enough to climb into, and then 'kneel' into water, but not deep enough to swim.

Anyway, I wonder if the heat in the bathroom or tub water, or some lack of vitamin might be causing the peeling.

Does this look normal?

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

Another pic of bill

 

[ruthhope]

Sorry to hijack someone else's thread. This is my first Khaki Campbell drake so maybe (as above) I am surprised because my Muscovy girls didn't do this. He is starting to peel a little.

It is winter so he isn't foraging, I bring them in the house for a proper bath in the tub, they have a bath in their space, but the bathroom tub is deep enough to dabble. (Yeah, spoiled) their coop tub is big enough to climb into, and then 'kneel' into water, but not deep enough to swim.

Anyway, I wonder if the heat in the bathroom or tub water, or some lack of vitamin might be causing the peeling.

Does this look normal?

No its normal, @Mother-Hen-Michele,
just like molting is normal. Bills are composed of keratin and layers flake off when they are old and worn. They grow nice new layers underneath so nothign to worry about

 

[Shadow87]

I've read the previous post above and comments but my duck has alot more peeling.. Can someone tell me if this much peeling is normal?

 

[Mother-Hen-Michele]

I've read the previous post above and comments but my duck has alot more peeling.. Can someone tell me if this much peeling is normal?

Please post a picture and not just because we love to look at each other's feathered babies... It also helps answer questions. (But also because we love to see them )

Until then...my drake peeled his beak recently and it seems to not be painful... If yours seems extreme it "might" be food induced or weather related (?) Can you think of anything that might be an issue?