Indian runners + Japanese beetles

blenderbender

In the Brooder
5 Years
Jul 9, 2014
34
0
22
Western Pennsylvania
I have a pair of 5 week old Indian runners that I've just put out in the fenced garden with predator proof housing. While working in the garden I gathered many Japanese beetles which the ducklings gobble up if I dump some in their water. I have noticed what appears to be lots of little white eggs in their poop. I'm guessing they gobbled some JB females full of eggs ready to lay. My question(s) are.... are the beetles perhaps too much for the young ducks digestive system? If these are JB eggs, am I just creating more of them by not disposing of them or are they rendered inert after passing through the ducks digestive tract and/or laying out in the open? Thanks for any info..... Gary
 
Might you take a photo? A few things could be going on - there may be parasites that are not JB eggs. Or, perhaps their digestive systems are not macerating the eggs. Are they getting grit? May seem like a dumb question, but might as well ask.
 
Thanks.... It's been over three weeks since I posted this question and lately I haven't been seeing what I originally saw. Hence, I have nothing to photograph at this point other than what I think is normal duck poop. They have had grit mixed with their starter food, and now they are on layer pellets which I am still adding grit to, though I'm sure they are getting plenty while ranging about in the garden. Another question though is, can they eat too many JB's? They are about 10 weeks now and they will gobble up just about as many as I would give them..... and it's been a bad year for JB's and I could give them hordes. I have withheld in fear of them over doing it. I don't have a clue if that would be too much protein, or whatever it is that JB's provide. Most of my garden is in raised beds which they can't get into or the plants and beetles are out of reach so they depend on me to pick or empty traps for their beetle pleasures.
 

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