Handicapped duck can't preen

[bunifrog]

I was wondering if I can use olive oil on my duck's feathers? Or do I keep stimulating his preen gland manually and spreading the oil like I have been? He hates it when I do but to me seems the best. He can't walk and can't move his head to reach his gland.

 

[Duck Drover]

I have thought it would be nice to be able to buy the preening oil and apply it to ducklings but I have not seen anything that would work. I was tempted to try oil at one time but I was told it would not work so I never tried it. If we butchered ducks I might try keeping the oil glad to preserve the oil for ducklings (I cut it out and threw it out in the past) but it has been many years since we raised Muscovies for meat so we have not butchered any of our ducks in more recent years. I suppose if a duck dies of natural causes it could be worth a try to keep the oil gland and see if it would work.

 

[Amiga]

I think what you are doing makes the most sense, even though it's labor intensive and the little one doesn't understand what you are doing.

 

[magicstorm]

What about the kind made for parrots? I don'know anything at all about ducks though.

 

[arrowti]

We also had a handicapped duck who wouldn't preen. Adding oil to his feathers worked at first until he decided he would run away whenever we came near them. He was handicapped enough that he couldn't climb into a pool to swim on his own, but I began to bring a towel to help dry him off after it rained because he would always get soaked and dry slowly. Handicapped ducks are a little extra work... but they're worth it!

 

[bunifrog]

Thanks everyone. He can't walk but scoots along he over for me to preen him but I wasn't sure it was doing its job. He was attracted by our drake. One leg permently handicapped and his neck works but his range of motion is limited. Still working with him as he is young still. About 8 weeks old. His sister and brother are full size and healthy. He is half their size and lives in our bedroom.
He has a large dog bed hesleeps in. He eats good, drinks, poops and swims. He is spoiled rotten.

 

[phnxrth]

This did my old heart good. Living here in a lakes community where I've befriended three domesticated black and white ducks that decided this place is home. One of them got a fishing lure caught in its beak. He can't eat or preen. We contacted Fallen Feathers, Animal Control and one other local resource. Someone is going to try to help tomorrow, but the birds aren't trusting enough that you can even throw a sheet over it while someone else tries to remove the lure. They've just been living wild for several years but they kind of like people.

It's the second time this bird had a problem with fishing hook and line. Last time it was so tangled up it could hardly move. That made it easier to get to it and remove the line and hook.

I wish people would realize when they drop hook and line after cutting it from a fish, that's a potential weapon.

 

[phnxrth]

I have a little update. Somehow that duck worked itself free from the fish hook. I'm guessing it got it tangled on something and yanked it out. I don't even see a place where there's damage and it's feeding fine, back to its old self.

 

[magicstorm]

Thats is great!

 

[MrsLou]

Can anyone share a tutorial on how to simulate the preen gland?! I've fostered a handicapped duck for six months now, and he's been happy in my flock, cleans himself and scoots around, but since the rainy season has set in he looks miserable! I'm so frustrated that I can't find any explanations on how help him. He's a muddy wet mess. He gets depressed when I bring him inside and completely stops trying to preen indoors. I need a winter solution. He can't use his legs, so I'm concerned that he's going to start losing his belly feathers again too.

I was wondering if I can use olive oil on my duck's feathers? Or do I keep stimulating his preen gland manually and spreading the oil like I have been? He hates it when I do but to me seems the best. He can't walk and can't move his head to reach his gland.