Eyeless duckling

[Greystone farm]

I recently acquired an adorable Indian RunnerxMagpie duckling who hatched without eyes. Her name is Penguin (but you can call her Penny) and she’s doing quite well considering, but I’m still a bit worried about her. She has trouble breathing sometimes and gets tired easily (though I suspect she’s also got underdeveloped sinuses, which might explain it) and sometimes makes clicking sounds while breathing. She also sticks her tongue out a lot while eating and drinking and seems to always be itching one of her feet. I looked and there aren’t any sores or rashes on her foot, so I’m a little confused and worried. The other thing that worries me is that there’s a little bit of discharge coming out of where her right eye should be, but I guess that might be normal for ducks without eyes? I have no experience with disabled birds so I’ve got no clue.
Otherwise, though, Penny is eating/drinking/pooping/moving fine and has bonded with my two other ducklings quite well. I think she’s about a week old.
Any help at all regarding any of the problems I’ve mentioned would be appreciated. Thanks!
NO COMMENTS SUGGESTING I SHOULD CULL HER WILL BE TOLERATED WHATSOEVER. I’m not in the practice of killing young lives before they get a chance to bloom, and if you are, I ask that you kindly keep it to yourself.

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Penny is adorable. And lucky to have someone like you caring for her.

From what you described - including the eye discharge - she may have a respiratory issue going on, perhaps due to (or exacerbated by) defects in her sinuses that you mentioned. She'll need to have access to clean water to blow out her nares, and you may need to "show" her where the water is and encourage her to dip her bill in. This site has info about clearing blocked nostrils - personally, I'd opt for the nebulizer rather than the syringe method to avoid accidental aspiration.

I have a drake who hatched with a serious visual impairment in both eyes (he's nearly blind), and he's a big, healthy 5 year old now. He's survived predator attacks that normally-sighted birds didn't, and he's a social butterfly. This thread on ducks with special needs may be of interest (my drake's story is there, too).

Wishing your duckling a long and happy life!

 

[JacinLarkwell]

If you keep her, you'll want to move things around as little as possible

 

[CrazyChicken Lady]

Yes try and keep everything in the same spot and make sure Penny knows where it is. Penny is pretty dang cute!
Make sure her little friends don’t trample her either since she is most likely a slow mover.

 

[Greystone farm]

Penny is adorable. And lucky to have someone like you caring for her.

From what you described - including the eye discharge - she may have a respiratory issue going on, perhaps due to (or exacerbated by) defects in her sinuses that you mentioned. She'll need to have access to clean water to blow out her nares, and you may need to "show" her where the water is and encourage her to dip her bill in. This site has info about clearing blocked nostrils - personally, I'd opt for the nebulizer rather than the syringe method to avoid accidental aspiration.

I have a drake who hatched with a serious visual impairment in both eyes (he's nearly blind), and he's a big, healthy 5 year old now. He's survived predator attacks that normally-sighted birds didn't, and he's a social butterfly. This thread on ducks with special needs may be of interest (my drake's story is there, too).

Wishing your duckling a long and happy life!

Thanks so much! I’ve been giving her daily baths and letting her dunk her head on a deeper water container, hope everything clears up

 

[Greystone farm]

If you keep her, you'll want to move things around as little as possible

Yep I’ve read that online, will do. Thanks!