duck doo doo

[kathi p]

I was given 3 muscovey ducks. All was good for 4 months, but now one or more has diarrhea. They have just finished laying and are now molting. Otherwise there has :/been no recent changes. They are eating Nutrena feather fixer with oyster shells and also free range all day. What could be causing this and what can I do to help?

 

[RileyCalanchini]

They could possibly have worms. Do they have a large area where they can swim? Like a pond/lake? And have you planted any new plants that they could have eaten?

 

[kathi p]

No on both. They have access to a large kids pool which I refill daily. I also have 5 runner ducks and 16 chickens which are all fine.

 

[dotporter]

If it's the hens, and you say that they just finished laying? That's the nesting Muscovy duck bomb. It should be a foul large green mess that they make once or twice a day, or that they aim at people who try to pick them up. The Nesting Bomb is a normal part of Muscovy life.

 

[kathi p]

How long after they stop laying does that last? They stopped about 2 weeks ago.

 

[dotporter]

Until the eggs hatch. Or, if you don't let them sit, it might last on it's own for a few weeks. You can tell if it's nesting bomb because it's a huge green mess, often at high velocity. If it's a normal sized poo or yellow then there might be something else. If it's just a big green splatter... well, then you just have to wait till their hormones say they aren't nesting anymore.

 

[kathi p]

Thanks dotporter you've been a tremendous help

 

[smonkeySK]

It's not just muscovys that do the nesting bomb; most nesting ducks will hold it till they get off the nest.

I had a couple of birds start sitting around the same time - they were small ducks so the effect of holding the poo in is much more subtle! However my white Campbell (who don't go broody in general) got into the swing of things as well - she became quite helpful and wouldn't litter the coop so always held on till morning!
Needless to say, the bigger the bird; the bigger the bomb!

Turns out she's rather house proud, and to this day she still clenches it back till I let them out - rather makes a mockery of the whole ducks don't have sphincters argument I think!

 

[kathi p]

 

[dotporter]

just imagining a duck doing the potty dance waiting for the door to open.