Running Duck with wet feather

[AliMcG]

Hi all

My running duck seems to have developed wet feather over the winter and a lot of his tail feathers have become brittle and snapped. I'm ruling out all of the obvious and wondered if anyone could tell me if his gland looks ok?
Its approx 1.5cm wide by just shy of 1cm tall. The feathers are only very slightly oily. He preens all the time but is not a fan of bathing, and has to be forced in each week, he doesn't always wash (long story, but thats down to the circumstances of his hatching).
He'll be 1 in May and hasn't had his 1st molt yet, I'm hoping with a few changes to diet his new feathers will grow beautifully again, assuming the gland is ok.
I've not tried to massage the gland as he hates his bottom being touched, it was a task just getting this photo, lol.

 

[ali04]

in the winter my ducks feathers also tend to gain more water in them. I think its because they are lacking the natural nutrients from foraging. Just make sure that the he has niacin and watch to make sure it is not getting worse. The problem could heal after molting as well.