dirt ball poo?

[rainplace]

My ducklings have been pooing what looks like balled up dirt after a long day outside. When I clean it up it seems to come apart into grit like dirt too. Is this normal?

And while I'm asking about poo... what is the white stuff in the normal looking poo?

(and all this time I thought I'd learned everything I had ever wanted to know about poo and more, from having children)

 

[Quack Shack]

That white stuff is their urine. Note you don't see your chicks or ducks peeing, right? Could be dry because of what they are eating. Been feeding them alot of bread treats lately? Little if any nutritional value there so maybe some corn and leafy greens instead.

 

[rainplace]

They forage most of the day. I have water containers all over the yard, as well as their pool and feed. They like to make mud puddles around all the water containers and seem to spend a lot of time "slurping" at the puddles. For treats I give them peas, mealworms, slugs, fresh greens... whatever I happen to have handy that day. No, I don't give them bread.

 

[rainplace]

Oh, and thanks for telling me what the white stuff was! As soon as I read it, I remembered having read it before... doh!

 

[Quack Shack]

There are no dumb questions just chances to learn. Just know the poop gets larger and messier based on the size of the duck and they have no rump muscles so you know what you are in for with their pool water. I think during a really hot day we dump and clean the kiddie pool 3x's.

 

[rainplace]

I'd been reading a lot about ducks before I got them, so in anticipation of kiddie pool yuck, I started looking at ways to make it easier. Originally I was going to go with this http://home.earthlink.net/~runnerducks2/id2.html sort of setup, but after watching wifezilla go through her pond experience, I thought I'd go that route instead.

Still would like to know about the dirt ball poo, if anyone knows.

 

[Quack Shack]

I have seen some neat setups for filters, etc. We just felt for our little hobby yard (and kind of duck because some don't require as much) we'd do the pool. How is it that birds that bathe in water are messier than birds that bathe in dust? That one is a mystery. Nothing like coming home from a not so great day at the office and just relaxing with a brew while I watch the birds. I tell you it's more relaxing than fish in a tank. Enjoy those quackers!