A few important things I need to know about my ducks.

[Bamabexchicks]

On March 17 I got 2 ducklings from TSC. I ended up with Runner ducks just by picking the tiniest one to keep her from being trampled, and picked one that looked like her as a companion. They are adorable, and I'm crazy about them!

Raised them inside till last week when they got close to fully feathered, and it warmed up outside. I realize I don't know enough about them, and I'm hoping for some wisdom and guidance here!

I need to know if what I'm seeing is normal. I started supplimenting their diet with B vitamin complex when I talked to someone with a duck having leg problems from lack of niacin. So now it seems like their poop is very dark and runny. Can someone show me pics of normal poop? Also,it would be helpful if I knew the proper dosage for the vitaamins.

Additionally, if the poop is abnormal should I get a fecal exam from the state lab? I have just bought a bottle of Valbazen wormer for my flock of chickens and don't know if it's safe for 7 week old ducks, don't have a clue what the dosage should be and would never want to hurt my little guys.
I would be very grateful for your advice here!

 

[chickengr]

On March 17 I got 2 ducklings from TSC. I ended up with Runner ducks just by picking the tiniest one to keep her from being trampled, and picked one that looked like her as a companion. They are adorable, and I'm crazy about them!

Raised them inside till last week when they got close to fully feathered, and it warmed up outside. I realize I don't know enough about them, and I'm hoping for some wisdom and guidance here!

I need to know if what I'm seeing is normal. I started supplimenting their diet with B vitamin complex when I talked to someone with a duck having leg problems from lack of niacin. So now it seems like their poop is very dark and runny. Can someone show me pics of normal poop? Also,it would be helpful if I knew the proper dosage for the vitaamins.

Additionally, if the poop is abnormal should I get a fecal exam from the state lab? I have just bought a bottle of Valbazen wormer for my flock of chickens and don't know if it's safe for 7 week old ducks, don't have a clue what the dosage should be and would never want to hurt my little guys.
I would be very grateful for your advice here!

I never worm ducks. instead of vitamins I feed them wheat. mine have never had any issues. they love water and mud. mine are not very interested in greens but do eat some. they prefer slugs, snails, worms, insects, etc.

I got mine when they were about 4 months old. but I did raised muscovie ducks hatched by duck. for the first 3 weeks they were fed non medicated chicken feed. from week 4 I started to give them some wheat to lower protein and for niacin. never had any issues. they liked greens for treats.

 

[Bamabexchicks]

I never worm ducks. instead of vitamins I feed them wheat. mine have never had any issues. they love water and mud. mine are not very interested in greens but do eat some. they prefer slugs, snails, worms, insects, etc.

I got mine when they were about 4 months old. but I did raised muscovie ducks hatched by duck. for the first 3 weeks they were fed non medicated chicken feed. from week 4 I started to give them some wheat to lower protein and for niacin. never had any issues. they liked greens for treats.

Oh, so what kind of wheat? Where do you get it? They get leafy greens, peas, and tomatoes for treats, sprinkled with a crushed b complex vitamin pill.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

There is nothing like a "normal" duck poop: Color, consistency and stink all depends on what the duck ate. If i feed my ducks a bowl of wild lettuce for dinner they poop out a dark green liquid that smells not too bad. If i feed them peppers and tomatoes they poop brown and not so smelly. If my wife stuffs them with meal-worms they don't like to go into their house over night, the poop is brownish black and is causing the wild birds all around the house to drop dead from the trees. Ducks have such a rapid digestion that you can guess pretty much what they ate a couple of hours early. As a rule of thumb: The more protein the more stink.
All water soluble vitamins (Vitamin C and the Vitamin B group including Niacin) cannot be overdosed! - Common sense applied. The excess is simply peed out.

 

[Bamabexchicks]

There is nothing like a "normal" duck poop: Color, consistency and stink all depends on what the duck ate. If i feed my ducks a bowl of wild lettuce for dinner they poop out a dark green liquid that smells not too bad. If i feed them peppers and tomatoes they poop brown and not so smelly. If my wife stuffs them with meal-worms they don't like to go into their house over night, the poop is brownish black and is causing the wild birds all around the house to drop dead from the trees. Ducks have such a rapid digestion that you can guess pretty much what they ate a couple of hours early. As a rule of thumb: The more protein the more stink.
All water soluble vitamins (Vitamin C and the Vitamin B group including Niacin) cannot be overdosed! - Common sense applied. The excess is simply peed out.

That's good to know! Do you worm your ducks, and if so what do you use?

 

[Bamabexchicks]

There is nothing like a "normal" duck poop: Color, consistency and stink all depends on what the duck ate. If i feed my ducks a bowl of wild lettuce for dinner they poop out a dark green liquid that smells not too bad. If i feed them peppers and tomatoes they poop brown and not so smelly. If my wife stuffs them with meal-worms they don't like to go into their house over night, the poop is brownish black and is causing the wild birds all around the house to drop dead from the trees. Ducks have such a rapid digestion that you can guess pretty much what they ate a couple of hours early. As a rule of thumb: The more protein the more stink.
All water soluble vitamins (Vitamin C and the Vitamin B group including Niacin) cannot be overdosed! - Common sense applied. The excess is simply peed out.

Note to self: avoid stuffing ducks with meal worms at all cost!

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

That's good to know! Do you worm your ducks, and if so what do you use?

Yes, i regulary worm my ducks, meaning giving them meal worms.
Sorry could not resist! - I have de-wormed my Indian Runner ducks last year with Wazine, recommended by the farm-store, but i think they just wanted to sell that stuff. I wouldn't give any medication to my ducks until i see clear evidence, like worms in their poo, discomfort or birds not thriving. Other than chickens, ducks are very tough cookies.
When you give any medicine to your ducks, remember to look if it is still safe to use the eggs!

 

[Bamabexchicks]

Yes, i regulary worm my ducks, meaning giving them meal worms.
Sorry could not resist! - I have de-wormed my Indian Runner ducks last year with Wazine, recommended by the farm-store, but i think they just wanted to sell that stuff. I wouldn't give any medication to my ducks until i see clear evidence, like worms in their poo, discomfort or birds not thriving. Other than chickens, ducks are very tough cookies.
When you give any medicine to your ducks, remember to look if it is still safe to use the eggs!

They seem very healthy outside of the poop I described. I ended up with a drake and a duck, just by accident and they are just beautiful and pretty friendly. No eggs yet, which makes me need to ask how old they are when they start laying?

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

Note to self: avoid stuffing ducks with meal worms at all cost!

I will never forget the morning after my wife went overboard with meal-worms for the Spring Ducklings and fed ~2 lbs to 14 ducklings! The stench was unbelievable, the paint was peeling off the walls, the potted plants grew legs to run away…
Careful with any kind of insect or animal protein, too much and the result is a disaster.
However fermented food - bacterial protein - smells ok (can't say good, all poop smells bad), maybe the vinegar reduces the stench, idk…

 

[chickengr]

Oh, so what kind of wheat? Where do you get it? They get leafy greens, peas, and tomatoes for treats, sprinkled with a crushed b complex vitamin pill.

I feed mine red wheat. I live in greece so I cannot tell you where to buy it.

mine were about 6 mo when started to lay.