Ducks get soaked in water?

[Morgan282]

okay, so I’ve had my ducks for a year now. They’ll be a year March 28th. This winter was brutal so I didn’t let them have their pool much, I think only a handful of times I let them have access to it on the warmer days.
Today is 45 so I figured I’d let them have their pool to clean themselves and everything. Well, they were in the pool for maybe 5-10 minutes when I noticed they were getting co
Platelet soaked, the water wasn’t repelling off their feathers like it usually had during the summer and whatnot. So, I was curious as to why this was happening and what I could do to fix it?? Thank you!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

May be they are getting towards molt. When mine don’t have water to bathe in over winter they don’t preen as often so they aren’t spreading their oils over there feathers. Hopefully now with temps beginning to mellow some on days letting them have time to wash will get them preening and a good molt will get those feathers pristine again.

 

[autumn_g]

My ducks were the same way. Now that the temps are in the 40s they have taken a bath almost every day for the last 4 days and now the water is beading up and their feathers look much much better.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yep bathing brings on preening which means they are spreading the oils over their feathers. @autumn_g

 

[PirateGirl]

I'm in the same boat as you, my ducks really need a bath, hopefully I can make it happen this week. Dirty feathers don't repel water as well, so since they haven't bathed in a long time, and have probably been in winter muck from melted snow etc. their feathers are dirty. Also as others have mentioned, if they haven't been bathing frequently, they aren't preening and oiling their feathers as frequently. It should improve after a few baths.