First time duck owner I've got a few questions :)

[DuckyVanderQuack]

Hi Y'all!

This is my very first post here and would like to introduce myself! My name is Aspen and I have wanted a pet duck since I was 5. 2 days ago my dreams came true and I got a young duck who I'm absolutely in love with already! He's getting his adult feathers already and I'm unsure of exactly how old he is but I have a question. When I got him Friday, he seemed to be having normal poops. I took him to tractor supply and talked to a specialist and they recommended I feed him Flock Raiser which is 20% protein. I started him on it and he's been eating and drinking very well and has been active and lively but his poop seemed to become progressively runnier. There isn't a smell and it's not too odd of a color compared to his firmer poop but I'm wondering, does this look normal?

I want to give him the best life I can. Do any of you reccomend probiotics to help aid digestion? Or have any suggestions for supplements to help him get big and strong? Thank you!!

 

[DuckyVanderQuack]

Also, what type of duck do you guys think he is? He's temporarily inside with me in a big kennel because it's almost 100°F where I live and was afraid of him getting too hot. Hell go back outside to his coop when it cools off a bit.

He has black and white striped feathers coming through and black feathers on his tail. He is SO friendly! He was an orphan. I work at a vet clinic and took him in from a person trying to see if we knew of anyone looking for a new duck.

 

[Jenbirdee]

flock raiser is a good feed for ducks but I usually give them a chick starter the first month and there’s never enough niacin in any feed for ducks so you need to add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast per every cup of feed to prevent a niacin deficiency, Are you giving him anything else to eat besides the flock raiser? any treats? If so, he needs grit in a little dish near his food. He will take what he needs. Ducks poops usually are watery and runny. Do you know exactly how old he is?
ducks also need their water dish deep enough to dunk their head in at least to clean their nares and eyes. you might know all this already but just in case not , i added it here. I am definitely unsure of the breed. I almost wonder if it could be a silver apple yard but I am probably wrong. he actually almost looks like a gosling to me

 

[Jenbirdee]

oh, and one more thing ducks are definitely flock animals your duck would do best to have a duck friend. For now you could put a safety mirror in his pen, and a little stuffed animal duck to sleep with.

 

[DuckyVanderQuack]

flock raiser is a good feed for ducks but I usually give them a chick starter the first month and there’s never enough niacin in any feed for ducks so you need to add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast per every cup of feed to prevent a niacin deficiency, Are you giving him anything else to eat besides the flock razor? If so, he needs grit in a little dish near his food. He will take what he needs. Ducks poops usually are watery and runny. Do you know exactly how old he is?

I know that he's at least a month old already. He was found wandering up from a persons pond and was the only baby. I don't know how long the original person had him but he ended with a second family after being found. The people I got him from had him 3 weeks before I got him last Friday. The people I got him from had him on chick starter and now he's currently on flock raiser only and I've been giving him some treats like chopped grapes and parsley in his water.

 

[DuckyVanderQuack]

oh, and one more thing ducks are definitely flock animals your duck would do best to have a duck friend. For now you could put a safety mirror in his pen, and a little stuffed animal duck to sleep with.

That's good to know! I'll give him a little stuffie and mirror for now until I can get him a friend Thank you!

 

[DuckyVanderQuack]

flock raiser is a good feed for ducks but I usually give them a chick starter the first month and there’s never enough niacin in any feed for ducks so you need to add a tablespoon of nutritional yeast per every cup of feed to prevent a niacin deficiency, Are you giving him anything else to eat besides the flock raiser? any treats? If so, he needs grit in a little dish near his food. He will take what he needs. Ducks poops usually are watery and runny. Do you know exactly how old he is?
ducks also need their water dish deep enough to dunk their head in at least to clean their nares and eyes. you might know all this already but just in case not , i added it here. I am definitely unsure of the breed. I almost wonder if it could be a silver apple yard but I am probably wrong. he actually almost looks like a gosling to me

I was wondering the same thing! I know geese are grazers and ducks like to chase things. His favorite pass time activity is to chase bugs outside which makes me think duck but I have NO idea, hahaha! Also, his water bowl is big enough for him to climb into and dunk his entire head into, he loves to play in it!

 

[CoriM]

If at all possible find a friend or 2 for him ASAP. Ducks are not meant to be solo animals!

 

[DuckyVanderQuack]

If at all possible find a friend or 2 for him ASAP. Ducks are not meant to be solo animals!

I plan to get him a buddy asap

 

[Sosalty]

Ditto what others are saying. An extra boost of niacin his/her early weeks. Chick starter and flock raiser as a rule, lack enough niacin. In the flocks of ducklings I've observed, they rarely are more than a few feet apart, pretty socially dependent on each other.