Blind duck

[Sunny Potato]

So we have a about 9 year old duck, She is a khaki Campbell and her name is Cuddles..
Awhile ago she lost her eye become of our two boy ducks, and she's been slowly going blind in the other eye, as of recent I'm pretty sure she is completely blind.
She is separated from everyone else so no one hurts her, my question is how do we get her to drink and eat, ive held her and gently put her bill in the water and she drinks the water but won't eat food. I haven't tried giving her any of the food she likes like lettuce I just put pellets in there so I'll try and give her some lettuce.

She is content were she is, hasn't called out for anyone and is just in the straw.
I just am worried is all.
Theres pictures of both her eyes
Warning for the one because it was basically I guess.. plucked out/squeezed out...if needed I'll take that picture off.

Her once good eye.

Bad eye..

 

[cheezenkwackers]

I had to put my 9 year old Khaki (Kwackers) down this summer for almost the same thing. Drake damage to one eye and a cataract in the other. I decided it wasn’t fair to her after she got stuck next to the water bowl and couldn’t get herself out. If yours isn’t eating she may already be on her way out. You can try treats like mealworms or peas to stimulate her appetite. But whatever happens, know you have given her a good life.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

my question is how do we get her to drink and eat, ive held her and gently put her bill in the water and she drinks the water but won't eat food. I haven't tried giving her any of the food she likes like lettuce I just put pellets in there so I'll try and give her some lettuce.

I only kept ducks for a short period and never faced a situation like this, but still have an idea that might be worth sharing..

I wonder about adding the lettuce, mealworms, peas, etc, or even those floating type duck pellets to the water dish? *Maybe* an extra bright light would help her see through the cataract to become familiar with where her new food dish is??

How long has it been since she ate anything? Even though she isn't calling out to them, is she able to hear the others where she is at? Is she still able to hear?

Sorry you both are facing this!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Make sure you keep her feed bowl and water bowl in the same place at all times so she can find them. You didn’t say how long she has been separated from the flock? Do you have her set up where she can hear the flock maybe if they can talk to her and her feed and water bowl is close to the pen or fencing maybe them coming over to visit would give her reson to get up and go visit them and find her feed and water? Also setting her up in a small area to start with so feed and water are close by and easy for her to find and maybe some type of clicker would help if you worked to get her to walk to her feed and water. I have 2 females that are blind in one eye and it did take them a while to get used to seeing out of the good one only so being blind in both would really take time but with your help hopefully she’ll be able to learn to navigate through it.

 

[Sunny Potato]

I only kept ducks for a short period and never faced a situation like this, but still have an idea that might be worth sharing..

I wonder about adding the lettuce, mealworms, peas, etc, or even those floating type duck pellets to the water dish? *Maybe* an extra bright light would help her see through the cataract to become familiar with where her new food dish is??

How long has it been since she ate anything? Even though she isn't calling out to them, is she able to hear the others where she is at? Is she still able to hear?

Sorry you both are facing this!

She can hear, I moved straw around and she'll get a little defensive. I don't know when she ate last, I'd assume it was the other night, she might've eaten some of the pellets but I don't know as shes outside, the light is a good idea! I'll look into that in the morning, thank you

 

[Sunny Potato]

Make sure you keep her feed bowl and water bowl in the same place at all times so she can find them. You didn’t say how long she has been separated from the flock? Do you have her set up where she can hear the flock maybe if they can talk to her and her feed and water bowl is close to the pen or fencing maybe them coming over to visit would give her reson to get up and go visit them and find her feed and water? Also setting her up in a small area to start with so feed and water are close by and easy for her to find and maybe some type of clicker would help if you worked to get her to walk to her feed and water. I have 2 females that are blind in one eye and it did take them a while to get used to seeing out of the good one only so being blind in both would really take time but with your help hopefully she’ll be able to learn to navigate through it.

I separated her in the morning but she is never really around the other ducks, she for at least two years stays up in the woods alone, she did have a friend named Amber but unfortunately she did recently die, Amber helped her navigate around when Cuddles was just blind in one eye, but even without her she has still been able to get around, I have her food and water near each other, she is set up in our garage because it is cold and snowy and I want to make sure shes comfortable.
Thank you!