What's the scoop on Duck POOP!?

[wafflechicken]

I'm the bright green poo person... wait that sounds wrong.

I'm having the same issue this winter. I said what I said based on the folks that performed the necropsy on my ill ducks. Metallic green poo is BAD. I've been seeing it around for a week or two now and have been in a constant state of worry and vigilance. But since it's been absurdly cold here (and most of my birds adamantly refuse to go into the coop or other shelters) I wonder if it's just weather stress? I don't know.

I also didn't pay attention to the poo colors last year so maybe my spring heartbreak started much earlier and I just never noticed.

I was also told as long as they eat, drink and preen they're probably ok. But I've been seeing this around so much I'm going to email the necropsy bird expert and see if he has any thoughts. If he does I'll post them here.

If anyone else has any thoughts on this, that would be awesome.

 

[DeckDuck]

Quote:
That's an interesting idea. Is there any way to set up a public gallery or article or something on BYC that everyone could add their poop pictures and descriptions to? Perhaps just a thread? It would be a terrific resource.

One time I was quite startled to find very bright fuchsia duck poop in the run. I finally realized that it came from the only thing in the yard that was also pervasively bright fuchsia colored: the berries from the poke weed plants. Anybody know those? The young leaves can apparently be used for poke salad, and the berries' juice is bright fuchsia. I think the berries from that plant are at least mildly poisonous though, even though the chickens seem to eat them with no problem. The ducks swore up and down that they had done nothing of the sort, but because of the tell-tale pink poop I was able to respond and pull those plants up. If only I had taken pictures; I could have started our duck poop encyclopedia with a splash of color!

ETA: Wow, yes there is a way! I'll start a new thread about it so I won't be hijacking this one.

 

[DeckDuck]

Alright, the FAQ mentions collaboratively editable articles, which might work just fine for a duck poop encyclopedia. However, I will have to leave it at this because my account does not have the ability to create the article. If anyone else is interested in starting one, I could help contribute pictures.

Sorry for hijacking your thread samuelsonfarm!

 

[Speceider]

Keep in mind that birds have 3 types of feces...urates are the nitrogenous waste, are white , related to the amount of protein metabolized and variable of the amount in any defrcation. Cecal feces tend to be liquid and smelly from the cecal fermention.. and not related to recent diet. Intestinal feces are, the undigested food.

Clint

 

[kaleymichelle]

What does black poop mean

 

[Amiga]

It can mean that the ducks got into some soil or mulch that is very dark. In some cases, tarry poop can indicate a health problem. If you add it to water, is there any red in the water like blood?

 

[kaleymichelle]

No it was like a normal poop but instead of brown and white it was black and white

 

[Homie Ducks]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/242460/the-ultimate-list-of-duck-treats-and-supplements/0_100
Check out this link . You will also know about poop and reasons of changes in colour or physic.

 

[luckylefty]

This is great information. I have my first two ducklings, and have been trying to decipher their poo. One more question for you all... should it be in a long stringy mass (like a small ball of intestines?) if they are eating chick feed? I just want to be sure that is normal!

 

[Amiga]

I think that sometimes the pellets go through with shape intact. Are they eating pellets?