Oil Gland problem?

[DuckDodgers]

Oyster Shell is used to give egg layers extra calcium they need to lay strong shelled eggs, even when feeding layer they can still need extra calcium so It's best to offer it to them in a separate dish from their feed and they will use it as needed. Sometimes they can lay soft shelled eggs and OS can help prevent this. There are several Poultry vitamins on the market TSC has some, I use Poultry Nutri Drench mainly because I give it to newly hatched chicks and ducklings to give them a good start and also to help mama get back into shape after brooding for so long. I also give it to my flock members if they are recouping from something, like now I have a Brahma hen in the house getting over bumble foot, so I put it in her water. That's great you have a Avian vet close by. Clint checks in often so hopefully he'll give you some ideas on what my be going on and how to help, take some pics of your ducks and their set up so he can better help okay?

OK I will go out today and get some oyster shell and some Poultry Nutri Drench from my local TSC. I will try to take some pictures today, it has been raining all day so if there is a small break in the rain I will run out and snap some pictures.

 

[DuckDodgers]

I'd give them the opportunity to bathe in clean water and preen in a clean, dry area for a few days.

Clint

OK so I have kept them in their coop since I posted yesterday. So should I put a tub in there for them to bath in?

 

[Miss Lydia]

OK so I have kept them in their coop since I posted yesterday. So should I put a tub in there for them to bath in?

Pouring rain here to so just when you get time. I wouId if it's not freezing. I'm sure if they haven't been able to bath they would enjoy a good bath and it will help them preen and get their feathers back in shape.

 

[Miss Lydia]

OK so I have kept them in their coop since I posted yesterday. So should I put a tub in there for them to bath in?

if you put a tub of water inside their coop your going to have a mess. give them the tub outside and leave the door to their coop open so they can go into dry if they want too. I don't put any kind of water inside my ducks houses they are way to messy, I don't know how Runners are but my Muscovy love to get up on things to stand and preen after a bath. I have chunks of wood and very larger rocks and pieces of down trees in their yard for them to get onto making sure the wood isn't splintered to keep them from getting any in their feet.

 

[DuckDodgers]

Grass doesn't last long in a ducks pen, but I think Clint is on to something, Don't get me wrong I have alot of mud too just goes with the territory and now with snow and ice well i'm sure you can imagine, but places where my ducks spend most of their time I have pt down landscape material then placed river rock[it's round with out sharp edges] Lowes has it for a little over 3 a bag, but it really does help keep the mud down and if yours are in a run That maybe the way to go. Mine have a very large fenced in area with hills and there's no way I can put down river rock except in the smaller fenced in area. but it does help alot. I just go in and spray off the rocks every evening.
Hey did you finish building your house? I remember some pics with your mom painting but you never showed finished project i don't think?

Now I have pea pebbles around their pool but that is it. Should I just go ahead and cover the rest of the pen with it? also how think inch wise does it need to be?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Now I have pea pebbles around their pool but that is it. Should I just go ahead and cover the rest of the pen with it? also how think inch wise does it need to be?

What I found out is if you don't put the landscaping fabric down first the rocks/pebbles will end up smooched into the mud pretty quick. If you decide to cover the whole pen and you can do it a little at a time if money is an issue, you'll have to put something around the inside or outside of the pen to keep the stones where they are suppose to stay, I don't know if you have hardware cloth around the bottom of your fencing but that would keep it inside or putting landscaping timbers around the outside will keep them inside too. I probably have a good 2-3" of river rock out there now, and I add some yearly to other areas. I'll get some pics when the weather permits. I also used these smooth rocks around their pool area it sure does help keep the mud down.

 

[DuckDodgers]

What I found out is if you don't put the landscaping fabric down first the rocks/pebbles will end up smooched into the mud pretty quick. If you decide to cover the whole pen and you can do it a little at a time if money is an issue, you'll have to put something around the inside or outside of the pen to keep the stones where they are suppose to stay, I don't know if you have hardware cloth around the bottom of your fencing but that would keep it inside or putting landscaping timbers around the outside will keep them inside too. I probably have a good 2-3" of river rock out there now, and I add some yearly to other areas. I'll get some pics when the weather permits. I also used these smooth rocks around their pool area it sure does help keep the mud down.

OK I will start to do that thank-you for your help. And hopefully I can figure out what the problem with them is.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Finally stopped raining, here is a pic of where I put down landscaping material and river rocks.

 

[DuckDodgers]

Finally stopped raining, here is a pic of where I put down landscaping material and river rocks.

OK very cool. I also just got home from getting some poultry nutri drench and was wondering how often I should add it to their water?

 

[Miss Lydia]

OK very cool. I also just got home from getting some poultry nutri drench and was wondering how often I should add it to their water?

I'd give them some in their water everyday for the first week then every other day starting week 2 till you see their feathering looking better I give it to mine 1X a week unless molting or brooding or hatching. I put 1 squirt in a gallon bucket but it does give directions on the bottle. Thise pics is like a common area everyone hangs out in there especially the geese and ducks, in cold months especially so I had to find a way to keep mud and poop at minimum. It really does work good, except when we had frigid temps the ice snow froze around the rock and made one solid sheet but it has thawed now and I was able to wash it all off this evening.