Any idea how to get a muscovy to produce more oil?

Bob (or Sponge Bob as Tamara said) has not been producing enough oil to keep him from getting water-logged. He (she) has been laying eggs for about 2 weeks now, and that is about when this started. He is not normal, and had to go swimming every day. Even when he comes in the house the first thing he does is run into the bathroom and jump into the tub (even when there is no water in it). I am affraid he will get sick with the cold weather we have been having, and even when it is warmer, he will stay wet all night.

My grandmother suggested spraying him with Pam, but I would like to find something that I can give him to help this out. Any suggestions?

ban him from his bath till he is done laying eggs... i.e. lock the bathroom door!

I definately wouldn't do the pam, unless you are frying him. I wonder if a little more fat in his diet may help. Maybe some veggie oil on his feed. Has he always had this problem? If so, it is probably defective oil glands.

i think it is becasue he is only half or part muscovy. so he wants to swim more than muscovies are designed to. and whenever ours are breeding, and laying they also molt, so their feathers look bad. and they never go swimming, they just take quick puddle baths...

Actually he is full muscovy. Our neighbor has both parents, and their hatch eggs each year. He was doing great producing oil until just the last week or two when he started laying eggs. Will he stop laying eggs soon? Or is he like a chicken and will lay them all year? I get an egg every day! (except today when I accidently stepped on it. :( I have been baking with them.

i think if she INSISTS on taking the poor duck to swim at the Lake, she should keep a can of Pam in the pickup... seriously, grandma is onto something there. and any other time, SpongeBoobie should only have puddles to play in, no kiddie pools or person-tubs! you need to discipline that duck!

esp with you taking them away, the laying will stop soon. they do it spring and fall like clock work. so she should stop soon and look nice for the summer, maybe in time for the wedding...

You might want to check to see if Bob's preen gland is impacted. I know birds I have get theirs backed up once in awhile. Find her preening gland, at the base of her tail (top side) then feel on either side for round firm glands?, they hold the oil, if it is backed up the feathers the come out of the preening gland will be dry and not all oily. I apply a warm cloth and massage them, the oil should start coming out. I have a macaw, Crackers that came from a horrible place and hers was filled with puss and they part where the lil feathers are and the oil comes out was infected and the size of big grape (its like a little nipple with feathers coming out the top of it normally). She must have been in some serious pain. Three years later I still check her because it gets backed up once in awhile.
Thats my thoughts on it anyways!

Very interesting. I will have to go check. I looked oily around the gland last night when he was in the tub...but I will make sure just in case. i am still laughing at Tamara for coming up with 'Sponge Bob' since he holds water like a sponge now. Ok...going to pack for the honeymoon. I think I will miss Bob more than anything while we are gone, but he is going to stay with a neighbor so the big hens dont pick on him.

aw, so now you are abandoning HER & dumping her at a strange place ;-)

Lora, so glad someone on here had a good suggestion. i thought it was the breeding season, cause all my muscovies are looking a little brownish like they are molting. i will check their glands tonight to be sure, i had no idea how to do that, THANK YOU! ^_^

we will miss you mcamden!

I know...I know...I am a horrible mother! Unfortunatelly Bob just cannot come with us on our honeymoon. If we were staying in this county I would totally sneak him in my carry on, but I dont think customs would approve.

I will miss you all too when I am gone. Come on now...I should just change my name to Melissa on here! MCamden is what I use for everything, but after next week I will no longer be a Camden anyway...just an 'm'. Hahaha...

iam always afraid i will accidentally call you michelle instead of melissa, so i avoid it since you don't SIGN your name to any posts or IMs.... clearing throat here!

Sure wish i could babysit SB for you!

tf

I wish you could too. I am sure my poor cats will have destroyed the new furniture by the time we get home due to excessive bordom for two weeks.

hmmm, cover everything with sheets? no, that would be FAR too much fun for them LOL

I could see it now. "Cats hide and seek game turns scary when sheet is pulled over their eyes." ...they tend to get confused easily, so probably not a good idea. ;)