Duck impacted? Winter molting! Please help!

[3bird]

Thanks for your reply 3bird! I have been offering different things mixed in with their feed like oats and peas and such, but I made the "soup" this morning and it was a hit! Thank you for the tip I did have a thermometer in my coop is well, but just this morning I can't seem to find it (I think it fell off the wall and is now buried in straw and poop...it's a small one) so I'll have to get another. I'll have to look into the wifi cameras!

I'm so glad they liked the soup!

 

[shawluvsbirds]

Well, they seem to be excited and happy today, and eating/drinking a good amount. I caved last night and put a small amount of water and feed in their coop with them because mine also didn't seem to leave the coop all day and so they barely ate anything. I am still kind of worried about impaction because I keep seeing these little squirts of really dark poo here and there but still can't figure out who it's coming from. I am afraid I don't know if I'd be able to tell the difference between a full crop or impaction? I have been putting yogurt, ACV, and probiotics (on rotation) in their feed and water. None of them are acting totally listless or anything, just sometimes cold. Thanks again for your responses!

does it look something like these? I was flipping out the other day over the same exact thing! Frozen poo stuck to feathers. . limping around and trying to eat straw! And while I was out there she dropped one of these stink bombs. I forgot about cecal poop.
@Ravynscroft
My duck is fine btw. . she just didn't want to stand up in the cold lol

 

[bsides2007]

View attachment 1226032 does it look something like these? I was flipping out the other day over the same exact thing! Frozen poo stuck to feathers. . limping around and trying to eat straw! And while I was out there she dropped one of these stink bombs. I forgot about cecal poop.
@Ravynscroft
My duck is fine btw. . she just didn't want to stand up in the cold lol

I have read about cecal poop and have definitely smelled it lol but what I'm seeing is more of a dark liquid and mostly a small amount...I do see some darker poos here and there that I think are cecal poop. It's so hard to tell because ducks can have any type of poop really. Have you seen liquidy dark poos before? Thank you for this!

 

[Ravynscroft]

I have read about cecal poop and have definitely smelled it lol but what I'm seeing is more of a dark liquid and mostly a small amount...I do see some darker poos here and there that I think are cecal poop. It's so hard to tell because ducks can have any type of poop really. Have you seen liquidy dark poos before? Thank you for this!

Duck cecal poop is extremely dark, like fully liquified tar...

 

[bsides2007]

Duck cecal poop is extremely dark, like fully liquified tar...

I have never been so happy to read a poop description. That is exactly what the poop I'm seeing looks like. THANK YOU! I think all the poops I'm seeing are normal. I am just overly worried because I have seen them eating their straw, and I kind of panic when I see their crops fill up because I am afraid it is an impaction. They seem to be eating, drinking, and pooping so they are probably just fine! Leave it to me to panic about everything!

 

[Ravynscroft]

I have never been so happy to read a poop description. That is exactly what the poop I'm seeing looks like. THANK YOU! I think all the poops I'm seeing are normal. I am just overly worried because I have seen them eating their straw, and I kind of panic when I see their crops fill up because I am afraid it is an impaction. They seem to be eating, drinking, and pooping so they are probably just fine! Leave it to me to panic about everything!

No worries, we all have our scares, lol... as long as their crops empty out overnight, no impaction... and I have had mine on straw most of the last year now... they eat some, but less than you actually think... it's like potato chips, just some empty calories...

Now seeds hidden in the straw, they will dig up and munch those a lot... but those aren't a worry...

Btw, try not to get that cecal poop on you! It sticks like tar too!

 

[bsides2007]

No worries, we all have our scares, lol... as long as their crops empty out overnight, no impaction... and I have had mine on straw most of the last year now... they eat some, but less than you actually think... it's like potato chips, just some empty calories...

Now seeds hidden in the straw, they will dig up and munch those a lot... but those aren't a worry...

Btw, try not to get that cecal poop on you! It sticks like tar too!

I will pay close attention in the morning to see if it goes down. A few of them looked very "busty" after eating earlier. I worry about the straw mostly because it's long and I feel like they will choke or it'll knot up in their crop. I just bought some chopped straw instead so I'll see how that works. Maybe they are eating less than I think.

And too late about the cecal poop...hahahaha. Oh well, such is life with ducks ^_^

 

[Ravynscroft]

I will pay close attention in the morning to see if it goes down. A few of them looked very "busty" after eating earlier. I worry about the straw mostly because it's long and I feel like they will choke or it'll knot up in their crop. I just bought some chopped straw instead so I'll see how that works. Maybe they are eating less than I think.

And too late about the cecal poop...hahahaha. Oh well, such is life with ducks ^_^

I have Calls and the longer straw makes me feel better actually... I would be careful with the chopped because they'll be able eat it easier and may eat more of it in a quicker amount of time... and that's what causes impaction...

ETA: with the cold weather mine are scarfing down more food and packing it in a lot too, especially in the evening... the digestion and protein burns energy to help them stay warmer...

 

[bsides2007]

I have Calls and the longer straw makes me feel better actually... I would be careful with the chopped because they'll be able eat it easier and may eat more of it in a quicker amount of time... and that's what causes impaction...

ETA: with the cold weather mine are scarfing down more food and packing it in a lot too, especially in the evening... the digestion and protein burns energy to help them stay warmer...

Noted! I do make sure I feed the ducks again before it gets dark so that they have food to burn when they go in for the night. Thank you so much for the insight!

 

[Ravynscroft]

Very welcome!