Is this wet feather?

[Debby Duck]

Three of my 1 year old ducks look like this. A fourth one in the 2nd picture isn't quite as bad but his feathers are not laying flat like they used to.
The three that are looking bad have the shaft on their wing feathers bare at the ends. They are always damp on the wings too and show many of the symptoms, tail shaking, preening a lot. I've also noticed on one, his wings seem to twitch a lot.
Their bedding is dry, we clean it every day. And they do swim in a pond all day.
From what I've read if it is what I suspect, it's going to be difficult to treat 4 ducks who don't like being handled.

But maybe it's not even wet feather?

 

[fatty and friends]

looks like they are molting

 

[KaleIAm]

Here's my duck with wet feather. My duck was wet for hours after getting in water and water didn't roll off her. Her vet did not recommend the soap bath. Her vet discussed nutrition with me, and checked her preen gland.

 

[GranderTheGander]

looks like they are molting

Agree. Looks like a typical molt, nothing more.

I've never heard the term "wet feather", but have seen geese that are not totally waterproof. Most were very old ones. Others I have guessed weren't given bathing water while being raised in captivity. I also read recently bathing in mud puddles a lot can cause it.

 

[Debby Duck]

Here's my duck with wet feather. My duck was wet for hours after getting in water and water didn't roll off her. Her vet did not recommend the soap bath. Her vet discussed nutrition with me, and checked her preen gland.

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Yes! This is exactly what their feathers look like. Definitely not healthy feathers. And they don't dry off either. I check them at the end of the night after they've been out of the water for hours and they're still damp.
We're going to try to get them one by one today and check the preen gland. Just when they started to like me again!

 

[GranderTheGander]

But don't domestic ducks loose some of their waterproofness when they are molting? It's summer and their feathers look exactly like they are molting. Ducks also can act different while molting--much more preening, tail shaking, etc. Molting can make them feel very uncomfortable. I once met a Call duck breeder who had a female who would plop down on her back sometimes when she was molting! He would just go and set her back up on her feet.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

If you're only basing it on how the feathers "feel", I think that would be inaccurate for wet feather. My ducks "feel" wet to the touch almost all of the time. Their feathers are not dry and fluffy like a chicken's.
The photos that are originally posted do not look like wet feather at all - except KaleIam's photos which is a great example of wet feather.
However, if you do treat for wet feather, clean the preening gland using a soap that is tough on oil and massage with warm water. Then remove all bathing water and only allow water that they can't bathe in (but can get their heads in) for about a week or so. If they continue to have access to the water to bathe in, the wet feather will never clear up.

 

[Debby Duck]

Thanks! I'll try to get some better pictures today for your thoughts again. I just want to make sure I don't ignore something I should treat.It's not just that they're wet. The feathers are frayed and ragged. But if it is just molting that'll be great. Then I just wait for it to be over I guess. Which will make my ducks happy!

 

[KaleIAm]

Thanks! I'll try to get some better pictures today for your thoughts again. I just want to make sure I don't ignore something I should treat.It's not just that they're wet. The feathers are frayed and ragged. But if it is just molting that'll be great. Then I just wait for it to be over I guess. Which will make my ducks happy!

For clarification my duck was soggy dripping wet. Her feathers wouldn't "zip" together and they were brittle and many of them were broken. She struggled with wet feather for years as a result of arthritis causing her to not preen well.

My ducks molt their flight feathers in early and mid fall, but I'm in Washington. I'm not sure about Florida. @SolarDuck when do your girls molt their flight feathers? Also I'm not sure if drakes molt their flight feathers at different times.

 

[fatty and friends]

For clarification my duck was soggy dripping wet. Her feathers wouldn't "zip" together and they were brittle and many of them were broken. She struggled with wet feather for years as a result of arthritis causing her to not preen well.

My ducks molt their flight feathers in early and mid fall, but I'm in Washington. I'm not sure about Florida. @SolarDuck when do your girls molt their flight feathers? Also I'm not sure if drakes molt their flight feathers at different times.

drakes molt after mating season, so right now would be when they are molting (atleast in michigan, my 3 drakes are all full molting)

harder to notice in pekin drakes since they are one color so don’t lose their “boy” colors like most other breeds do