Claire Camsell Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Hello everyone, Can someone help me with a query please. Daisy our duck is about 4 years old and had a lovely bright orange beak when we got her in late December. Luke her husband still has an orange beak but Daisy's has faded to...well peach really. Since we got them they have much more freedom than they had previously had, they now spend all day foraging around the garden and every day Daisy lays an egg in the Eglu (we had been told that she almost never laid eggs). So, is the lack of colour in her beak due to old age (how long do ducks live?) or is it because so much of her energy is going into egg production even though she is on layer food and getting plenty of fresh food from being so free range? She has also lost a lot of feathers from on top of her head but we assume that is because Luke is rather 'affectionate' apart from this though she seems happy enough and has plenty of energy. Looking forward to your words of wisdom Claire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Lesley is our duck expert! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 Oh! - no football stories then? Hi Claire The same has happened with our female - her beak went paler and then she also got a lot of what looked like mould spots on it. I was worried and popped into the Practical Poultry forum to ask. It seems that it wasn't much of a problem so I left her to see what happened. P P forum is in maintanance mode at the moment so I cab't direct you there. Mindy has been absolutely fine and the mouldy marks have lessened. Her beak is still paler than it was. Perhaps it is an age thing? As long as she is still eating and is bright and alert then I would just observe. PS - I'm no duck expert though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin B Posted March 31, 2007 Share Posted March 31, 2007 .. and as long as she keeps supplying me with delicious eggs every other saturday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted April 1, 2007 Share Posted April 1, 2007 Wonder if it's the same as happens to chickens? As they start laying, the pigment that would be directed to their beaks goes instead to the eggs, so their beaks (and feet) go paler. Just a thought? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claire Camsell Posted April 8, 2007 Author Share Posted April 8, 2007 Happy Easter! Daisy has lost her orange colour since she started laying, looking back at photos of when we first got them I think her beak was always a little paler than Lukes but being a male duck I assumed he was just showing off! The pigment theory makes sence and otherwise she is healthy and can still get quite a turn of speed on if you need to catch her. Thanks for your help everyone, will pop along to the chicken people when I can but I'm not too worried now. Claire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
