How smelly is duck poop -- serious question! Worried

[Mashie]

Hi
I've checked out lots of poop colour posts but didn't find an answer.
I've had ducks a few weeks and sadly one died recently - no particular reason, she was just sleepy and a few hours later she was dead.

Today as I put them to bed (I was inside the coop) one did a huge squirt. About half a tea-cup. Very impressed .. until the smell hit me.
It was just like really nasty human diarrhoea. It stank. It was yellowy brown and very liquid. I could smell it from 2 yards away.

Now naturally I've seen quite a bit of duck poo by now, but usually it isn't so fresh!

Is this awful smell normal or might my duck have an infection? Worried especially because of the one who died.

This duck is acting normally, fairly active during the day and cosy at night with her sisters in the coop. They eat layers pellets and forage widely in our large pond and garden. The poo was a bit yellower than the layers, but not much -- sometimes I think the pellets just come out mushed up, the colour is almost identical.

Someone mentioned cecal (I think) poop which has fermented - could it be that that I'm smelling?

I only have 3 ducks, I would hate to lose another :-(

I'm hoping someone will tell me this is normal!

 

[BelovedBirds]

Hi
I've checked out lots of poop colour posts but didn't find an answer.
I've had ducks a few weeks and sadly one died recently - no particular reason, she was just sleepy and a few hours later she was dead.

Today as I put them to bed (I was inside the coop) one did a huge squirt. About half a tea-cup. Very impressed .. until the smell hit me.
It was just like really nasty human diarrhoea. It stank. It was yellowy brown and very liquid. I could smell it from 2 yards away.

Now naturally I've seen quite a bit of duck poo by now, but usually it isn't so fresh!

Is this awful smell normal or might my duck have an infection? Worried especially because of the one who died.

This duck is acting normally, fairly active during the day and cosy at night with her sisters in the coop. They eat layers pellets and forage widely in our large pond and garden. The poo was a bit yellower than the layers, but not much -- sometimes I think the pellets just come out mushed up, the colour is almost identical.

Someone mentioned cecal (I think) poop which has fermented - could it be that that I'm smelling?

I only have 3 ducks, I would hate to lose another :-(

I'm hoping someone will tell me this is normal!

I'm so sorry to hear that you've lost one! That must have been a shock. There must've been a reason, unless she was elderly- do they have access to oyster shells for egg laying? Is the food fresh/free from damp or mould? If we can narrow down what caused her to pass, we may be able to set your mind at ease with your other ducks!

In my experience some poop has no smell, and others, like if they've eaten something rich in protein, can smell pretty bad. So it could be a result of a treat they've had recently- Consistency varies for mine, sometimes more solid, usually like mud, sometimes a little more watery depending on what they've eaten or how much water they drank.

 

[DuneDucks]

I'm sorry to hear about your duck. What have you been feeding them? Have you switched or added anything to that routine? Mine went from Purina Duck Pellets to some Flock Raiser crumbles and the smell/consistency was pretty similar to what you described. Another user who made the same switch described the smell as sour laundry, which I found to be an accurate description. Going back to pellets I found their poop to not only be a lot more solid, but also a lot less offensive of a smell.

 

[Mashie]

I'm so sorry to hear that you've lost one! That must have been a shock. There must've been a reason, unless she was elderly- do they have access to oyster shells for egg laying? Is the food fresh/free from damp or mould? If we can narrow down what caused her to pass, we may be able to set your mind at ease with your other ducks!

In my experience some poop has no smell, and others, like if they've eaten something rich in protein, can smell pretty bad. So it could be a result of a treat they've had recently- Consistency varies for mine, sometimes more solid, usually like mud, sometimes a little more watery depending on what they've eaten or how much water they drank.

Thank you! The one who died I suspect was EYP. She was regularly producing mal-formed / incomplete eggs and her lethargy before dying seems to make it likely. They do have oyster shells. But this is just my idea from internet research.

Of the three who are left, two (a Cayuga and a white campbell) - lay every day. The smelly poop one (also a campbell) has never laid at all - and yes, I am pretty sure she's a she - no curly tail. And she's loud!

They are rescue ducks so I don't know their age.. and I have just realised that I don't know about their health history. I'll look into worming them, didn't know I had to do that.

 

[Mashie]

I'm sorry to hear about your duckling. What have you been feeding them? Have you switched or added anything to that routine? Mine went from Purina Duck Pellets to some Flock Raiser crumbles and the smell/consistency was pretty similar to what you described. Another user who made the same switch described the smell as sour laundry, which I found to be an accurate description. Going back to pellets I found their poop to not only be a lot more solid, but also a lot less offensive of a smell.

Hi - they're not ducklings, they're grown ducks that I rescued from an unsuitable home (a box). I was really sad to lose one, but at least she had 2 months in a lovely spot and she loved the pond.

That's very helpful about the smell, thank you. Usually I don't notice much smell -- but I've never been there as it happened before! Sour laundry might cover it though.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Thank you! The one who died I suspect was EYP. She was regularly producing mal-formed / incomplete eggs and her lethargy before dying seems to make it likely. They do have oyster shells. But this is just my idea from internet research.

Of the three who are left, two (a Cayuga and a white campbell) - lay every day. The smelly poop one (also a campbell) has never laid at all - and yes, I am pretty sure she's a she - no curly tail. And she's loud!

They are rescue ducks so I don't know their age.. and I have just realised that I don't know about their health history. I'll look into worming them, didn't know I had to do that.

Perhaps the third is younger, how long have you had them?

 

[Mashie]

Perhaps the third is younger, how long have you had them?

I've only had them since March ,,, it is possible one is younger, I hadn't thought of that.