Is the duck crop the same as a chicken crop?

[JulieHei]

Hi!
I have both ducks and chickens. I am new to ducks and have only had them for 7 weeks. I am noticing that when chickens eat grass the take small pieces, but when ducks eat grass/plants/moss and so on, they swallow BIG pieces, whole plants and so on. I know that chickens can get impacted crop from eating a lot of grass. I am currently dealing with a chicken with impacted crop. I was wondering if the duck crop can handle more grass and plants? Like in whole pieces? If it is built different? Or should I be worried about my ducks?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sorry to hear your dealing with a chicken with an impacted crop.

Ducks do have a crop similar to a chicken and they can get impacted. It's always a good idea to have grit available for them so they can grind up anything they eat.
here is some info on ducks anatomy
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...g-contains-reproductive-pictures.1296812/also we have good info on how to treat crop issues if you need help there too.

 

[sarahconnor]

Sorry to hear your dealing with a chicken with an impacted crop.

Ducks do have a crop similar to a chicken and they can get impacted. It's always a good idea to have grit available for them so they can grind up anything they eat.
here is some info on ducks anatomy
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...g-contains-reproductive-pictures.1296812/also we have good info on how to treat crop issues if you need help there too.

I rescued two ducks and one definitely has impacted crop. It’s huge. I treated a chicken hen with coconut oil and it worked great. I do have grit. Should I mix it in with the ducks food ? Can I use coconut oil?

 

[Miss Lydia]

How did you use the coconut oil just have to be so careful they don’t aspirate. Put grit out in a separate bowl close to their food they will use it as they need it

 

[Miss Lydia]

When one of my chickens had crop trouble I used the method Here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/ does the crop empty over night? One of my Buffs gets a huge crop by end of the day but by morning is normal. Are you offering food all day so they can eat when they want? That can help them not gorge if you think that might be the problem. Pics always help.

 

[sarahconnor]

How did you use the coconut oil just have to be so careful they don’t aspirate. Put grit out in a separate bowl close to their food they will use it as they need it

How did you use the coconut oil just have to be so careful they don’t aspirate. Put grit out in a separate bowl close to their food they will use it as they need it

 

[sarahconnor]

Hello and thank you,
I gave cold small pieces of coconut oil - both crops looked normal today. I now believe that they gorged. They were neglected for sure so they could be making up for lost time. I gave them one cup each of all layer today and about half that tonight. They drink so much water. I put them in the henhouse tonight. They started really stuffing themselves at the big feeder for all the poultry so I’ll let them eat for a couple minutes and then I covered it up so they wouldn’t overly gorge. I’m going to southern states tomorrow to buy some duck food for them so I can get feeding instructions for how much to give them each day, I’ve never owned ducks before and I really appreciate your reply. I put some grit out too. I will let you know how they do. My goose adores them! She watches over them. It’s pretty great. I think she loves having them. Their wings are about half size. So they are juveniles for sure.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Since they are young keep food out during the day for them. They need the nutrients to grow and be healthy, they have been through a lot in their young lives but it sounds like they have found their forever home. You should give them some B3 also for strong legs. Duckling can come down with niacin deficiency so Nutritional yeast is one way of making sure they have extra niacin 1 tablespoon over each cup of feed. Make sure to get nutritional yeast not baking yeast I bet if you keep feed out for them and let them eat what they want they will stop gorging pretty quick .

geese are amazing I am glad to hear yours likes the new ducks.

 

[sarahconnor]

Since they are young keep food out during the day for them. They need the nutrients to grow and be healthy, they have been through a lot in their young lives but it sounds like they have found their forever home. You should give them some B3 also for strong legs. Duckling can come down with niacin deficiency so Nutritional yeast is one way of making sure they have extra niacin 1 tablespoon over each cup of feed. Make sure to get nutritional yeast not baking yeast I bet if you keep feed out for them and let them eat what they want they will stop gorging pretty quick .

geese are amazing I am glad to her yours likes the new ducks.

What great tips. Yes they really suffered at the other house. They are much stronger in just a week but they still walk a little funny. Thanks for helping them thrive through your great tips. Nine days after the rescue with mother goose Dani.

 

[sarahconnor]

I’m going to do exactly what you recommend. When we picked them up it was cold and they were in a pool they could not get out of. Soaked, huddled together shivering hard. They were kept all other times in a small crate they could barely turn around in. They didn’t even have food to give us when we picked them up. Or the bag the food came in so who knows what they were being fed. I’ll post a photo of me bringing them home in a trailer my guy was hauling. Photo on right was the following morning.