I think my ducks have wet feather. What should I do going forward?

Hello everyone. Over the past week or so, I’ve started to notice that my ducks (two 8 week old Pekin-Rouen mixes, and two 7 week old Pekins) appear to have developed wet feather. After swimming, their feathers become completely soaked, and it can take well over an hour for them to dry. They have a healthy diet, they swim daily; the only environmental issue I can think of is that they currently live in my shower. My shower has poor draining, so the floor tends to stay wet for most of the day. I am in the process of moving them outside to free range though, so they’ll be in much dryer conditions soon.

What I want to know is should I attempt to treat this (ex., washing with soap, blow drying, keeping them away from water)? Should I wait until they molt in a couple weeks? Both? Or is there something else I should do? Any help would be appreciated

The living circumstances sound a little cramped for 4 ducks. Can you fix up a temporary pen for them to be in outside during the day, even if they have to come back into the shower at night?

I think your ducklings may not have wet feather they just don't have a lot of room to preen after swimming.

Having them in a run with a kiddie pool, they will be able to swim and then preen -- encouraging preening is the way to prevent and to treat wet feather. Please don't wash them with dawn dish soap or anything else. Just let them be ducklings preening themselves, and all will be well

Pictures of them along with their set-up would be helpful to determine if they have wet feather and what could have causes it. Do not use soap on them as using soap should be a last resort in only serious wet feather cases.

ruthhope said:

The living circumstances sound a little cramped for 4 ducks. Can you fix up a temporary pen for them to be in outside during the day, even if they have to come back into the shower at night?

I think your ducklings may not have wet feather they just don't have a lot of room to preen after swimming.

Having them in a run with a kiddie pool, they will be able to swim and then preen -- encouraging preening is the way to prevent and to treat wet feather. Please don't wash them with dawn dish soap or anything else. Just let them be ducklings preening themselves, and all will be well

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HollowOfWisps said:

Pictures of them along with their set-up would be helpful to determine if they have wet feather and what could have causes it. Do not use soap on them as using soap should be a last resort in only serious wet feather cases.

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I will be introducing them to their outside pen as of tomorrow, so yes I can do that.

For the preening, I’ve recently started bringing them outside to a kiddie pool to swim instead of swimming in the shower, and then they either dry off in the grass or on my back porch. They definitely have room to preen now, but maybe they didn’t have it before... You could be right. Also thank you, I will not use any soap.

I will send pictures of them all after they swim tomorrow morning.

Okay, here are the 4 babies

I don’t know how well the pictures show it, but they are very, very wet.
They don’t mind the water at all, in fact they love it, but they always come out of it cold and wet.

KathiQuacks said:

Okay, here are the 4 babies

View attachment 3166522 View attachment 3166523 View attachment 3166524
I don’t know how well the pictures show it, but they are very, very wet.
They don’t mind the water at all, in fact they love it, but they always come out of it cold and wet.

Click to expand...

They do have wet feather.
Four large breed ducks at their age living in a damp shower is definitely way too small and could cause it. Ducks love water, but they must be able to preen and fully dry then stay dry until they swim again everytime. Living in a wet damp shower would not allow them to do this. I would move them outside immediately if possible. What brand/type of feed are they on? Also are you feeding any treats/extras? They are going to need all of the nutrition they can get and good protein to molt out the damaged feathers.

HollowOfWisps said:

They do have wet feather.
Four large breed ducks at their age living in a damp shower is definitely way too small and could cause it. Ducks love water, but they must be able to preen and fully dry then stay dry until they swim again everytime. Living in a wet damp shower would not allow them to do this. I would move them outside immediately if possible. What brand/type of feed are they on? Also are you feeding any treats/extras? They are going to need all of the nutrition they can get and good protein to molt out the damaged feathers.

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I agree with @HollowOfWisps . Plus, add nutridrench and Vit B to their water if you can get some from Tractor supply

ruthhope said:

The living circumstances sound a little cramped for 4 ducks. Can you fix up a temporary pen for them to be in outside during the day, even if they have to come back into the shower at night?

I think your ducklings may not have wet feather they just don't have a lot of room to preen after swimming.

Having them in a run with a kiddie pool, they will be able to swim and then preen -- encouraging preening is the way to prevent and to treat wet feather. Please don't wash them with dawn dish soap or anything else. Just let them be ducklings preening themselves, and all will be well

Click to expand...

WRONG!!!! I have had 2 ducklings die from water. They had a kiddie pool to swim in. One I saved, wrapped in a towel & put under an incubator lamp. He survived!! He & his friends live in a huge pen. ( I won't let them free range until I find out what is attacking my ducks & wild rabbits) My current dilemma is: ducks that were raised together originally, put in separate pens for a couple of weeks put back together again & not adjusting to each other. It's been 3 days & they are in different parts of the pen. When 1 group (of 4) is with the other 2 they peck at them. I am trying to find a home for the 2. I don't want anyone hurt. Any suggestions will be appreciated!

KathiQuacks said:

Okay, here are the 4 babies

View attachment 3166522 View attachment 3166523 View attachment 3166524
I don’t know how well the pictures show it, but they are very, very wet.
They don’t mind the water at all, in fact they love it, but they always come out of it cold and wet.

Click to expand...

Mine were worse off than that. My husband (not their care giver) believes they were born with no oil in their skin/feathers. Is that possible?

Vicktoria Giuergia said:

WRONG!!!! I have had 2 ducklings die from water. They had a kiddie pool to swim in. One I saved, wrapped in a towel & put under an incubator lamp. He survived!! He & his friends live in a huge pen. ( I won't let them free range until I find out what is attacking my ducks & wild rabbits) My current dilemma is: ducks that were raised together originally, put in separate pens for a couple of weeks put back together again & not adjusting to each other. It's been 3 days & they are in different parts of the pen. When 1 group (of 4) is with the other 2 they peck at them. I am trying to find a home for the 2. I don't want anyone hurt. Any suggestions will be appreciated!

Click to expand...

@VicktoriaGiuergia Small ducklings always need supervised swimming in shallow pans as they are not waterproof. By 8 weeks old, ducklings can have access to a kiddie pool with stones/pavers/wooden ramp so that they can get out. This is not wrong @VicktoriaGiuergia. Yours that drowned must not have been able to get out of the kiddie pool.

I personally keep my ducklings in the brooder in the house until they are 8 weeks old: they only go out in the the kiddie pool when I am with them. Mine do not free range until they are at least 12 weeks but all are out free ranging during the day at 16 weeks.

With your ducklings, you might just try with the ducking separated for longer. Separate them where they can see and be seen by the others. Then start letting them get together while supervised for short periods.