People are obsessed with duck poop. Well, okay, maybe more in my world than yours. But believe me in the pet duck world it is constantly, and I mean constantly, discussed, asked about, mentioned, questioned… You get the idea. But, and here’s the thing, more by others than duck owners.
I follow a lot of duck owners/parents/pet perspective instagram accounts. And if their ducks live inside, are seen inside, seen sitting on someone, sitting on a sofa or chair (even outside garden furniture), running on a patio…. there is always (always!) a question about duck poop. (ie. ‘Don’t they….?’ Answer: ‘Do bears…?’)
Yes, Ducks Poop Everywhere
The main worry for non-duck (or maybe new to duck) owners is this fear that my duck is going to sh*t. Somewhere. Merde. Now if it is a new or potential duck owner, I get it. You want to know what to expect.
Expect lots of poop. They have no ability to control their ‘movements’ so go when the need arises. You can’t train them. So that leaves 3 options.
A. You can diaper them, which involves a harness and a period pad. And changing it a lot.
B. You can also put down towels or incontinence pads everywhere they like to be.
C. Have tissues, maybe a spray bottle, sometimes a mop and bucket to hand and be ready to clean up after them. Often.
Uh, oh. And while I am typing this I have just heard the ducks come in and of course they headed straight for the cat food. But duck poop after cat food is really, really not a pleasant thing. If duck poop ever is that is. Back in a minute…
Not All Duck Poop Is Created Equal
Now, there is poop, and there is poop. What they eat certainly affects this. You simply have to look at your own diet and poop and you’ll get the idea. Or better yet, if you have/had a baby, remember when they moved from milk to solids and you were changing diapers? Yup, what anyone eats makes a difference, and that includes ducks.
What can help is if you watch what they eat if/when/before they are inside. Certain foods, like in humans, provide different types of poop. Duck feed gives you a quite solid, very easy to clean up poop. Mealy worms (or any protein), beware the stink. Lettuce or other veg, expect watery splats. But as a pet duck is reliant on you for a balanced and healthy diet, you are going to run into, dare I stay step in(?), all of these.
What you can control is what you feed them when. They generally process food in 1 to 2 hours from one end to the other. If they enjoy outside time, make sure you stop feeding them in time, before coming inside, that you can limit or at least manage messes.
Do I Mind Cleaning Up Duck Poop?
When I get asked ‘don’t I mind cleaning up duck poop’? Well, duh, yes of course I do. But it is like this, again the baby analogy, if you have/had a baby you have to take care of it, this means changing it’s diaper. Of course, you don’t enjoy doing it. Maybe even dread doing it, but you do it. It’s part of the deal of parenting. Same goes for ducks (and other animals). And like baby diapers you sort of gain an immunity to the whole poop thing. That is why you may find or feel that house duck owners are sometimes a little blasé about duck poop in their responses.
House Ducks and the Reality of Life Indoors
But unlike a baby, ducks can’t be toilet trained. And they can live up to 12 years. Yup, didn’t know that did ya? (This is where you really want to think about having a house duck and/or not having your duck imprint on you. Non-imprinted ducks can happily, preferably live outside.)
Ducks can be sort of trained to hang out in certain places (where you have conveniently, strategically left a towel or pad. Though inevitably…). And also you simply get used to cleaning up after them. That’s the deal with having a house duck.
It was something I researched and knew when Maggie was hatching. And as an imprinted baby duckling, I also knew she would have to live with me in my home. I chose to go ahead with having Maggie, and although I got through a lot of toilet tissue and always had a mop and bucket to hand, she was worth every moment.
Why I Keep Answering the Poop Questions
So as for #petducks on Instragram comments, I will never hesitate to answer them, as it means people are looking for knowledge and understanding. Even if it does always seem to be about duck poop.
Any questions? Feel free to ask below in the comments.
Or ask me at Pumpjack & Piddlewick on Instagram (whilst looking at cute pet pictures).
And here’s a few other Pet Duck Facts.
Last but not least, if you are still keen on a duck as a pet, or simply have more questions, check out my Duck 101 Lessons.
PS
As you can tell I am mad about ducks. (Honestly, who wouldn’t be?) So it may be no surprise that I do stock My Shop with the odd duck item, from vintage to some we designed ourselves:
Simply click on the image to see more.
Hi, I have been wanting a duck for sometime, well I got whar I needed and headed to the feed store, I guess I had to get 2 I didn’t want it to be alone during this change to a new home… I’m not sure how old they r but they r tiny and they r runner ducks one black one Grey blue. I’m in love! How long does it take for them to bond with u? Also a tricky catch.. I have a dog, she’s very sweet and super friendly doesn’t have an aggressive bone in her body but she’s still a dog. So the fear is there… she’s also a putbull/chatahula and she’s a tank bulldozer doesn’t know that sniffing so vigorously is rough… I want them to co exist with supervision. Always supervision but I have so many questions about these babes… they r so fun. So cute. So exited to see what they grow into but will they be as tame as I imagine them being? With lots of handling and attention and constant picking them up cuddling them. Will they ever come up to me for pets will they be OK with my dog? How old should they be before I let them runaround a playpen in the yard? It’s a nice day outside but I just brought them home yesterday, and the same day is when they got to the feed store. I don’t want to stress them out and I just wany them to love me lol… also how long do I need the heat lamp on them in their brooder? How old should they be before they can be outside eating bugs out of the yard and I got them a kiddy pool but how long should I let them swim for. Like I Siad so many questions… I apologize any answered would be wonderful thank u
Hi Jamie. Congratulations, and Welcome to the duck world!
Runner ducks are adorable. Without a picture it is hard to say how old they are, but the feed store should have been able to tell you. Worth asking, by phone or another visit, as it helps with what to expect as they become adults.
Do cuddle and hold them especially whilst babies, ideally together whilst you can fit them easily in your hands. Young ducks do not like to be separated from whatever they consider flock. They should bond with you very quickly, but does depend how young they are. They are smart, and will work out quickly that you are the care giver. They will also bond with each other.
With regards your dog, and without knowing the personality of you dog, does it interact well with other animals in general. Like a cat or another (small) dog? You do have to be concerned whilst they are baby ducks as a dog can very easily inadvertently hurt them. And sometimes they like to play with them, like they are toys, which can be dangerous for the duckling. Supervised time together is super important, with you showing the ducklings and your dog that they are now a pack/flock. The ducklings could bond/imprint on your dog as well. Imprinting goes both ways. If this happens you are in luck as it means your dog will take care of and watch out for them. But, whilst they are ducklings, you always need to be supervising.
Yes they will be tame, but it does depend on how much time you spend with them. The more time you do, the more tame they will be. The more you cuddle them, the more they will want this in the future. For me, one of my favourite things once they are older and more independent is to lie down on a blanket and they will come to sit by me whilst I read, write or sleep.
They also like routine and to learn. You are the parent now and you are teaching them every time you see them. What you give them to eat will dictate what they will like in the future. (If you have a vegetable garden, do not feed them what you do not wish them to eat, or they will continue to do so as adults.) Your night time routine, etc. They like and respond to repetition and routine.
Without knowing how old they are or where you live, you can give them outside time if they do not appear cold. If they are only a day or two old, they will want to huddle under something for warmth and security. This is the perfect time to offer cuddles. Within about a week, they will be okay to be outside, in a secured environment – including the top, so predator birds can’t get to them.
For the heat lamp, watch them and learn. Is it at one side? When they don’t need it as much or at all they will try to move away from it. They will chase outdoor bugs etc at about 2 weeks. You can introduce them to water now, but supervised. I use a clean paint tray with a low level of water. They need to be able to get out of the pond, whatever type or size. As babies they will tire easily, and if not able to get out themselves can drown from exhaustion – hence the supervision. Within about 2 weeks, they will not need supervision whilst swimming, but no matter the size, they need to be able to get out easily.
I cover most of the areas of ducks in my Duck 101 posts, please do read. Also I recommend a book by Kristine Ellis – Raising Ducks for Beginners and Beyond: The Guide to Breeds, Ponds, Nutrition, and All Things Duck.
The most important thing to being a duck parent is that you are now responsible for them. They are a commitment for their life, which for some is hard once they get passed the cute fuzzy duckling stage and make more mess. Dumping ducks is illegal if you decide you no longer want them. Ducks make great pets, very loving, very smart. I hope you enjoy your adventure into the duck world as much as I have.