ducky diarrhea?

[maralynn28]

My duckies just turned 4 wks old and spend their days outside the majority of the time, coming in to get locked up at night. They have feed avail 24/7 but are also really great foragers and love to do that when they are out.
It rained a LOT last night so they ducks were brought into their coop early (about 4pm) as there is plenty of room inside for them, they had food and water avail inside. When I let them out this morning, they have been huddling together most of the day (it IS a bit chillier today) and when I took them some treats (peas

) I noticed REALLY smelly poo...looks and smells like human diarrhea.

In case it is a food issue...they are on Purina Flock Raiser with oats and brewers yeast mixed in.

Is this something for me to worry about, what could be causing it?
TIA!

 

[Amiga]

It could be an infection, or it could be they were stressed by the cold (what is chillier? 40? 60?) My ducks have had rotten smelly diarrhea on one occasion - they were stressed after a long day and then being carted back into their brooder.

My approach is watch closely for 24 hours. I would also give vitamins and probiotics, make sure they are not too cold (at four weeks, 90 minus 4 times 5 is 70, so I would keep them at around 70 degrees), give them a little TLC. How thick is their bedding? What is the temperature in the coop? Did it get wet in the coop? Moisture can drop temperatures ten degrees or so - I have seen it in my brooder.

I would baby them - warm and dry and extra attention - and watch to see who it is that is making the stinky. Just one or two, or everybody. Do you have antibiotics on hand and someone you can check with in case it begins to look like an infection? I suspect stress.

 

[katharinad]

Mine are almost 4 weeks now and they are in their duck house at 65 at night and are out now at 50 degrees in the daytime. I've been watching them carefully because we are now in a cold spell with temps 20 degree below normal. They seem to be fine and don't look cold or stressed. They are a heavy breed, so I think that makes a difference when it comes to temps. Not to sure about the liquid poo. Perhaps they ate something new and it is not sitting well. I would monitor them and add vitamins/electrolytes/probiotics to their water.
Katharina

 

[maralynn28]

They've been loving the weather at 70 degrees...today I think it was 55 tho, but they stay away from the heat lamp.

Maybe just watch them and some ACV?

 

[Amiga]

Do you have plain yogurt, too? A very watered down serving (a teaspoon or two each) of that would introduce probiotics without loads of milk in it.

 

[Duck_feeder]

Is all the poop really watery or just some?

Every so often (some people call it the seventh poop based on it's frequency) a duck will have a really stinky sticky and watery poop. Nastier than anything else you'll ever encounter coming out of a healthy duck...

Also, if a duck drinks a lot of water, their poop will be more watery than normal. Right after we let our ducks have their daily swim in the tub the next few poops are looser and wetter than when they've been in their pen for hours.

 

[maralynn28]

Quote:
Right now I'm thinking that's it. Yeah, it was all watery and super stinky...but I haven't noticed anything else since. They've been cuddling and sleeping a lot but I heard that's normal for 4 wk olds? Plus they still are very perky when I go out there (expecting treats).
This sounds odd but...Would eating TOO many slugs be bad? One of my ducks ate about 10 slugs this morning.

I turned over a plant pot and she cleaned it all off in 2 bites. She's the best forager in the group too, I would guess that is good but you never know. There is such thing as 'too much of a good thing.'

 

[katharinad]

I would not worry about slug eating. Mine are eating frogs by the ton... Occasionally I get the dark green watery poo that smells really bad. I consider that normal, because they produce regular poo later on. Ducks feed on anything, and I guess they discharge really quickly when it wasn't so good. My best guess.

I would be more concerned if it goes on for two days in the row and the ducks have signs of dehydration or look weak.
Katharina

 

[andreacroyle]

You mentioned probiotics? can I use human acidophilus tablets?

 

[Amiga]

I use poultry probiotics. I don't know what the dosage would be for the human kind. I think it would work, but I am not sure if there would be a problem. I have heard of people putting a tablespoon of plain yogurt in a cup of water for probiotics.