Really Wet Duck...is this normal?

[LadyIsadora]

I agree & disagree with the above comments. I COULD be a molt thing and they will grow out of it but, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, sometimes they just have a bad oil gland that will not get better.
I had a duck this last year who's oil gland was clogged/ and or broken. I gave her soaks in epsom salt, rubbed her gland with oil (yes, she hated that and it made her extremely dirty as the dirt now stuck to the oil) massaged her and did anything I thought would help for several weeks.
I finally ended up taking her to a vet. I have never taken a "barnyard" animal to the vet, but I did so love this duck. In addition to the oil gland problem she had a bad bumble. In the end there was nothing I could do for her short of making her a house duck. There was no way she would survive the winter without the ability to water/ weather proof herself.
I wish you the best of luck with your flock & hope it is something that will correct itself.

 

[Lindsy]

Well I checked out his oil gland....I could hardly see it! It didn't look inflamed. It was hard to see anything! I gave it a good wash with warm water, massaged a bit of oil....which he hardly seemed to noticed which sounds odd. I kept him wrapped in a warm towel for awhile and tried to dry him out. I'm wondering if the gland isn't functioning? I'll post an update tomorrow and some pics. Maybe I'll try the epsom bath....

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well I checked out his oil gland....I could hardly see it! It didn't look inflamed. It was hard to see anything! I gave it a good wash with warm water, massaged a bit of oil....which he hardly seemed to noticed which sounds odd. I kept him wrapped in a warm towel for awhile and tried to dry him out. I'm wondering if the gland isn't functioning? I'll post an update tomorrow and some pics. Maybe I'll try the epsom bath....

I'm not sure Epsom salt will do any good if it's not inflamed but if you do use it be careful he doesn't drink any of the ES water it is also a laxative.

He may just not have any oil to spread. Which doesn't mean he can't live that way but during cold weather I'd keep him out of water. just so he doesn't stay soaked for long periods.

 

[Lacrystol]

I'm sticking with molting, it's the time of year and all of mine are molting right now , I have feathers everywhere, I keep thinking Ive had a visit in the yard helping himself to a gourmet meal but with 46 call ducks and I count them each night. It would throw anyone off. I think I would wait until the molting has stopped and then go from there. As far as the cold, Mine don't even go in the water during the winter months, in fact they can't because everything is frozen, I have two heating lamps in my coop and they do just fine. AND if they do go out into the snow, they PLOP right on top of it and they don't move except to go back into the coop. I think it will be fine in the winter months, most likely will stay in the dry unsnowed coop.

 

[Lindsy]

Got him dried off (the rains finally broke) ...put a heat lamp in the coop. All the other ducks would play in the rain....he would play then come in and warm up. Not many feathers left on his chest....just "down". Seems happy. I'll try to keep him warm and give some vitamins. Hopefully just a molt!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Got him dried off (the rains finally broke) ...put a heat lamp in the coop. All the other ducks would play in the rain....he would play then come in and warm up. Not many feathers left on his chest....just "down". Seems happy. I'll try to keep him warm and give some vitamins. Hopefully just a molt!

It's that time of year so hopefully that is what it is. Your taking good care of him.