Trying to ID a duck.

[Miss Lydia]

Yes wet feather happens. Hopefully once you get these two home and they can get Good bathes their feathers will be fine.

 

[HotLips]

Yes wet feather happens. Hopefully once you get these two home and they can get Good bathes their feathers will be fine.

My plan is to go get them in the morning and get baths started before they step foot in my yard, coop or anywhere else here. The high tomorrow is only going to be in the 20's. How dry do I need to get them after bathing before putting them outside? Does Dawn take off the good oils too?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Dawn will strip off all oils on their feathers so I would wait on using dawn and see how they do after they have had multiple bathes [might take more than one to clean them up]

If it's only going to be in the 20's I'd make sure they are dry before putting them outside. You could try a hair dryer on low heat or just place them in a large dog crate inside until they dry. Keep them in the coolest room in your home.

 

[HotLips]

Dawn will strip off all oils on their feathers so I would wait on using dawn and see how they do after they have had multiple bathes [might take more than one to clean them up]

If it's only going to be in the 20's I'd make sure they are dry before putting them outside. You could try a hair dryer on low heat or just place them in a large dog crate inside until they dry. Keep them in the coolest room in your home.

What do you recommend using then. Other than Dawn I have Main and Tail or Emu Oil Shampoo. Oh, and Amway's LOC (very gentle but cleans good). I don't know if any of those would have something in them that would hurt them. I haven't given a duck a bath before, only chickens and that was more of a soak in Epsom salts.
I can blow dry good and then let them finish in a crate in the mud room. It's cool in there but not like outside. We store citrus fruits in the mudroom in the winter.

 

[Yardmom]

They desperately need a bath!
And really? A slow-cooker for the water? I hope they get a better home soon...

In places where the temperature is regularly below zero F and doesn't get above freezing all winter crockpots are a common way to keep the water from freezing.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What do you recommend using then. Other than Dawn I have Main and Tail or Emu Oil Shampoo. Oh, and Amway's LOC (very gentle but cleans good). I don't know if any of those would have something in them that would hurt them. I haven't given a duck a bath before, only chickens and that was more of a soak in Epsom salts.
I can blow dry good and then let them finish in a crate in the mud room. It's cool in there but not like outside. We store citrus fruits in the mudroom in the winter.

Don't use anything on them just let them have a good wash. It may take a few washings to get all the mud and dirt off but really no reason to wash them in soap right off. See how they look after they have had a few baths then decide if they need soap.

 

[HotLips]

Don't use anything on them just let them have a good wash. It may take a few washings to get all the mud and dirt off but really no reason to wash them in soap right off. See how they look after they have had a few baths then decide if they need soap.

Oh, ok. I was thinking soap partly due to the dirt and partly due to their current environment. But ok, we'll just use water. It'll be above freezing this weekend and he can swim to his hearts content. As long as the roads aren't iced I'll be picking them up tomorrow. It was on and off for awhile due to power outs today, but we're back on. Tomorrow is another day.
Thank you for all the help!

 

[HotLips]

Update: We picked up the ducks this morning! DuckDuck and Goose. Goose is the Rouen (by consensus) female and DuckDuck the Jumbo Pekin drake. (He must be Jumbo, he's HUGE!) Goose wasn't hard to clean up and she's so sweet! She took to the water like a duck! Oh, that's right, she IS a duck. DuckDuck was a different story. As you all know he was filthy dirty. More so than I realized. He had dried mud caked on his wing and face. There was a thick cake of mud around each eye and to his bill. I was concerned he may have at least 1 eye infection. When I put him in the water for his bath he just sat there. I splashed water on him and he still sat there. The more I splashed water on him the more he started to move a little. I think the poor thing forgot how to be a duck. He finally got into the whole bath thing and he worked long and hard on his face. He got most of it but there's a little bit of mud still on each side between his eyes and bill. I think he did well for his first bath at least since winter. His eyes look better but will watch for infections. They are hanging out in a crate in the mudroom now. I think they'll stay there tonight and I'll see about getting them outside tomorrow. Mudroom is running 40's and 50's depending on outside temp right now. We're cold outside tonight but heading in the 30's tomorrow. This should give them plenty of time to dry out and a chance for me to check those eyes. She weighs about 5 lbs. I forgot to weigh him. Oh, and after we left the lady found that Goose laid an egg! Her first egg since cold weather started.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh my gosh they both look so much better. Dudkduck doesn't even look like the duck in those first pics you posted.
Might be a good idea to pick up some Terramyci eye ointment just to have on hand.

His eyes maybe just irritated from all the dirt.

 

[HotLips]

Don't they look good?
I have some on hand.
They've been pigging out all afternoon.