Duck Spa

Were no duck experts.

Due to a mink our first ducks didn't survive the first winter we had them.

This is only the second full winter we have had ducks.

We're still learning.

Since the water freezes we remove the pools for the winter.

They still have access to water just not for bathing.

And ducks love their baths.

These two ducks are our jumbo Pekins.

They were looking pretty ragged.

My best guess was that they had "wet feather".

A condition that is the result from a lack of preening oil that can be caused by not bathing.

They can freeze if they don't have the protective oil on their feathers.

So I had Connor bring them in for some duck spa time.

Not my first choice to have two ducks inside my house.

They are stinky. So stinky I lit a candle, which I do not like to do.

I also turned on the exhaust fan and shut the door.

They are messy.

Ducks taking baths is even messier.

Imagine a car wash with the windows down.

Water everywhere.

So my plan was to cover the floor with a tarp and close the shower curtain.

I chose to leave the curtain outside so there were fewer gaps along the wall.

This seemed to work fairly well and kept the wayward water to a minimum.

They were so noisy that Nolan thought the water was running.

I laughed and told him that it was off.

He was hearing the duck bathing party.

They were pretty much done by the time I took this video.

That's some nasty tub water!

Here they are in the drained tub waiting to dry off enough so I can toss them back outside.

They look much better.

I freed them on the porch because I wasn't about to go outside.

It's way too cold for that! (I think it made it up to +8.)

They stayed on the porch until I had to leave for town.

Then I shooed them off.

When it gets above freezing we're thinking of bringing out a pool for some special bath time.

Then we'll put it away until there's another "nice" winter day.

I'm happy to report that amazingly the tarp worked and caught all the water.

The floor was dry!

And yes I bleached the tub!