[lord flynn]

My older duck (was told she was hatched 2012) had quite ratty feathers when I picked her up a few weeks ago and thought it was just the moult. They have a 150l trough, a 90l trough and 2 large kangaroo skips of water around the place and the water is kept clean. I've never seen her in the troughs although the younger female is rarely out of them. The older one spends a lot of time roosting and preening and seems to be eating fine-they are on duck/goose growers, plus some wheat when they aren't roaming around in the gardens.
Roll on today and constant rain and I noticed she looked wet and on close inspection, cold underneath she doesn't look too bad but her flights are wet. have read up a bit but is there anything I can do anyone can recommend on here?  The younger two look grand.

[goosepimple]

Hmm, does sound lie wet feather you're right.  Have you seen her flying about, roosting at a height - is there something else wrong, wing, legs, feet, is the water at flat ground level - can she get in it ok I'm thinking?  Is she eating ok?  Brown bread squished in milk is a favourite and may help give her some body heat and protein. 
 
Maybe all the rain may help, at least she'll get wet. It's not so cold as yet that staying wet should be a problem overnight.  Has she been broody too long and is under the weather?
 
Ooo it's so annoying when you don't know isn't it!  Hope she's ok soon LF

[lord flynn]

hi-was hoping you would see this


she flies up to the top of the duck house to roost-havent seen her do more than that. The water isn't at ground level, there is a ramp up to all of them that the others use. She had a brood this year (this is what I've been told) and the place I got her from was fairly muddy. Neither are well handled and I am loathe to manhandle her unless necessary. There's no mite in the house.


Today I was about and doing work in all the pens and was able to keep an eye on her. She's walking fine, eating well (really enjoyed some wheat and some BOSS) and spent a lot of time preening and getting dry once the rain stopped. They are all doing a good job eating my dandelions Wings seem to be working. Later on she did have a bathe and later on a sun bathe. She came and inspected the house after I cleaned it out. She's very wary of the young drake but I haven't seen him try anything yet. She looked so much better this afternoon bless her but we have horrible weather due in monday. I have put up an extra 'field' shelter so I hope she'll make use of it if she needs to. I will try and think of a quick way of putting some water down at ground level, see if that helps.

[goosepimple]

She sounds fine LF, I think maybe she hasn't got the idea of ramps so water at ground level might be good and lots of rain on Monday is no bad thing - at least she'll get wet and will use her preening gland to waterproof herself.  She sounds healthy enough though 

[lord flynn]

she seemed to cope better yesterday but it was so windy it was an instant blowdry

The drake is quite territorial with the water-I 've put more out for them but he'll chase both of them off although he's less ansty with the younger one. Is this normal? I know they are territorial, but didnt know they might do it with the opposite sex.

[goosepimple]

That's a bit odd, but maybe he likes to mate in water rather than on dry land and so prefers the younger model.  I'd just make sure there is plenty of water about for them, he can't cover all bases.  A bucket of water full right up to the brim is often helpful, they can douse themselves in it.

[lord flynn]

he's only just four months old but spent the first 9/10 weeks with no duck company (he was found running a road at about a day old)-have since found out there is a feral colony of muscovies in the area, I didn't get him until he was about 8 weeks old. So maybe he's just lacking social skills? I found him happily foraging with one of the hens yesterday! I've put some extra water out for them.


She seems better-her feathers are all zipped up now, no raggedy ends.

[goosepimple]

  ducks and their social antics.