Duckling stress poops

[Kpatroll]

Hello, all!!!!! Its me... again. So the ducklings are HUGE now, and with bigger ducks comes bigger poops. Given we have had EXTREMELY crappy weather, the girls have been inside. They are just shy of 4 weeks old. So, I've noticed something not fun. Holy diarrhea. They arent constantly pooping liquid, it seems only when they're in stressful situations. Every poop in the brooder has been solid. Everywhere else..... complete yuck. Bathtub? Diarrhea. Walking about the house or being handled? Their diapers are blown out. It...is...consistant... outside of the brooder. I DID start giving them ACV with mother, as I've been told it works well as a preventative for worms, and as I've said, in the brooder are solid poops. What can I do different to calm these two down? Has anybody else had to deal with duckling anxiety?

Also.... my sweet little cuddle ducks have become stuck up. Is this normal? They stick to themselves, refuse to follow anybody, and even make us walk over to them for any treats. It's kind of breaking my whole heart that my babies hate me now. Thanks in advance yall. Sorry so late. I'm actually posting because Basil (4 week old pekin) just bit the crap out of me, then pooped all over me as I was moving her from the brooder for the nighttime poop scooping.

 

[PaulX]

Let me get this right... you have 2 ducklings, and they both wear diapers, and that also means you have to catch them and pick them up on a regular basis, like several times a day. Is that right?

My experience is that as ducklings get about 2 1/2 - 3 weeks old you need to stop picking them up, otherwise they'll run from your hand. If they already run, well, you still need to stop and they'll eventually come around.

But I understand that you're raising 2 indoor ducks. I'm not quite sure how that works. Maybe people who have indoor duck will have better insight, but I haven't seen anyone raising more than one indoor duck. That could complicate things.

edit : oh and not sure if it's relevant but my pekin has always been pooping diarrhea, ever since she started laying. The not-yet-laying runners (and the pekins when young) poop normal toothpaste-consistency. not sure how duck poops work.

 

[chickens really]

Do they have an outdoor pen that your moving them into? They are old enough to be living outside. It sounds to me like they are not enjoying indoor life and should be outside now being Ducks..

 

[DuckyDonna]

@casportpony is the expert on poop. I'm sure she'll be here in a bit.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello, all!!!!! Its me... again. So the ducklings are HUGE now, and with bigger ducks comes bigger poops. Given we have had EXTREMELY crappy weather, the girls have been inside. They are just shy of 4 weeks old. So, I've noticed something not fun. Holy diarrhea. They arent constantly pooping liquid, it seems only when they're in stressful situations. Every poop in the brooder has been solid. Everywhere else..... complete yuck. Bathtub? Diarrhea. Walking about the house or being handled? Their diapers are blown out. It...is...consistant... outside of the brooder. I DID start giving them ACV with mother, as I've been told it works well as a preventative for worms, and as I've said, in the brooder are solid poops. What can I do different to calm these two down? Has anybody else had to deal with duckling anxiety?

Also.... my sweet little cuddle ducks have become stuck up. Is this normal? They stick to themselves, refuse to follow anybody, and even make us walk over to them for any treats. It's kind of breaking my whole heart that my babies hate me now. Thanks in advance yall. Sorry so late. I'm actually posting because Basil (4 week old pekin) just bit the crap out of me, then pooped all over me as I was moving her from the brooder for the nighttime poop scooping.

They are at that age where being picked up is scary so of course the only way to react is to poop. Instead of picking mine up now I have 4-5 and 8 weeks old Runners I just herd them by getting behind them and opening my arms out and walking slowly they have picked it up really fast after the first week and like it a lot better than me picking them up. Think predator coming at them from above. Even though we have been with them since tiny they go through these stages and that is where yours an mine are now. Ducks in general don't like to be picked up but if patient they will enjoy being around us and even eating out of our hand. Mine are outside now and really enjoying themselves.

 

[Kpatroll]

Thank you all for the feedback. They have a run in the back yard, unfortunately, the backyard is also covered in cotton. I'm not sure who in the area decided COTTON trees would be best, but the entire town is coated. We had one of the ducks with an impacted crop, which immediately made me contact a vet 3 hours away. And take her in. He said that with her eating the cotton, I need to keep them indoors, as their tiny bodies cant digest it properly. The temps in Michigan (and the vast amount of major storms) plus the cotton make for danger time for these little gals. They DO wear diapers in the house. My whole house has carpeting aside from the bathroom and kitchen, and duck poop is horrible to get out of carpet, (especially when its loose stool)I will definitely monitor the handling. Thank you all.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Okay I remember you talking about that. Good for you keeping them in till it's over.

 

[Kpatroll]

Okay I remember you talking about that. Good for you keeping them in till it's over.

It has been torture for ALL of us. Lol since the last post, we have to keep all windows closed, had to build screened boxes to protect the AC units, and run the risk of inhaling flying cotton if we breath outside. Fortunately, it seems like we have hit the peak of the trees shedding, and now we wait for Sunday to do yet another yard cleanup.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I was going to ask you if the stuff gets washed off like normal pollen? Guess not!

 

[Kpatroll]

I was going to ask you if the stuff gets washed off like normal pollen? Guess not!

Oh, that would be lovely. No, this stuff collects and is like try toilet paper after being teepees. It just shreds.