Blind runner duck

[amander103]

Hello everyone i have posted on here once before about my baby pekin duck who had a crooked neck and then angel Wing. In the long short of things yesterday I got a message from my friend who volunteers at a local animal shelter. They got an abandoned duck that night with just a note that said " im friendly". She also informed me that the shelter could not keep it because they could not house livestock. So I said what the heck. "I only have two ducks and I love them, what's one more". So upon arrival to pick him up at the animal shelter before I had seen him we had the vet look him over. Turns out he is extremely undernourished and completely blind in both eyes. Well we couldn't leave him there just to be out to

sleep so we tookhimanyways. Now he is a separate cage right next to Bentley and Petri's run so he can hear them and the girls can get a good look at him. Any advice for the next steps.

It appears that he is missing all te feathers around his eyes and try do look slightly swollen. Maybe someone did this to him? Or he was born this was. He is friendly I once you actually touch him. But very nervous, obviously with no sight. It did seem like he had never got to be in water before for his bath today. He was so happy. Eating and drinking better then yesterday.

 

[Luminide]

He's precious. Such a pretty boy.

I'm personally a newbie at ducks, so I'll refrain from giving any advice. But I want to commend you on taking him home. Not many people would have.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hello everyone i have posted on here once before about my baby pekin duck who had a crooked neck and then angel Wing. In the long short of things yesterday I got a message from my friend who volunteers at a local animal shelter. They got an abandoned duck that night with just a note that said " im friendly". She also informed me that the shelter could not keep it because they could not house livestock. So I said what the heck. "I only have two ducks and I love them, what's one more". So upon arrival to pick him up at the animal shelter before I had seen him we had the vet look him over. Turns out he is extremely undernourished and completely blind in both eyes. Well we couldn't leave him there just to be out to

sleep so we tookhimanyways. Now he is a separate cage right next to Bentley and Petri's run so he can hear them and the girls can get a good look at him. Any advice for the next steps.

It appears that he is missing all te feathers around his eyes and try do look slightly swollen. Maybe someone did this to him? Or he was born this was. He is friendly I once you actually touch him. But very nervous, obviously with no sight. It did seem like he had never got to be in water before for his bath today. He was so happy. Eating and drinking better then yesterday.

He is gorgeous and you are a saint for taking him in, once he gets use to your babies and vise versa they will help him learn his way around, keep food and water and pool always in the same place in your yard or run and always speak when you approach him so he isn't startled. Get some really good Poultry vitamins and start him on them, along with good feed and some TLC he sould do really well. Did they say how old they think he is, you say he is it for sure a drake? I'd treat around his eyes with some Veterycin spray[TSC carries it.] it is very safe to use around eyes and face. Again I wish you the best with this one you'll never regret giving it a loving home. Give it some time.

 

[amander103]

Thats exactly what I was hoping.. That Perti and Bentley will help him learn his way around. I will get that Veterycin Spray tomorrow and start that immediately. Are there any poultry vitamins in particular you would recommend for me to get for him? He seems to a a very small amount of vision in one of his eyes. Just by watching him he seems a little more aware on one side then the other.

And the vet had no idea how old. But then again it wasn't a vet that had really to much knowledge of waterfowl. Are there any other clues I could look for regarding age? WE decided he was a drake because of the picture i am including.. It looks like he has a drake feather. But he so scruffy and a mess it's hard to tell




.

 

[amander103]

He's precious. Such a pretty boy.

I'm personally a newbie at ducks, so I'll refrain from giving any advice. But I want to commend you on taking him home. Not many people would have.

Thank you I'm pretty new to them to. But after my first two wonderful girls I couldn't say no to this poor guy.

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

X2 what Miss Lydia said. I think he is absolutely beautiful and I agree that a beautiful human would take him in and nurture him. I agree that looks like a drake feather. Have you heard his voice? Raspy sounds usually come from drakes, whereas distinct quack will come from your girls. I have 3 runners right now and they are around 10 wks old w/ drake feathers just beginning to curl a little, so my best guess is he is def older than that. There are many other keepers of Runners with much more knowledge than me, Amiga & Stonykill come to mind immediately, but there are still more, hopefully they will be on to chime in. If not, I would PM each of them. I do also agree that the eyes look swollen, but as I've never dealt with anything like that here, I suggest you do as advised by ML, the lady knows her stuff. Personally I have used I think it is Manna Pro Poultry Drench, as well as my personal fave, Sav-a-Chick. Easy to mix in the drinking water. I will say too that any rattiness you see in his feathers, I expect that will improve with regular bathing in clean water and good nutrition in a short time, def by the fall moult. Please post updates.

 

[Amiga]

Well, congratulations!

Agreed that nutrition is vital for the guy, as well as setting things in one place so he can get used to them, and using your voice to assure him. My runners seem to know what certain words with certain inflections mean, like "peas!" and "back!" to consistent terms may help him get around as well.

I talk to myself much more than I used to, largely (I tell myself) because making almost constant sounds lets the flock know where I am and what I am doing, and that keeps the atmosphere positive.

I have not seen a duck in his condition before. I wonder what the story is. Did he have an infection, an injury?

Lukewarm baths, vitamins, fresh vegetables, TLC, all can be helpful.

 

[amander103]

X2 what Miss Lydia said. I think he is absolutely beautiful and I agree that a beautiful human would take him in and nurture him. I agree that looks like a drake feather. Have you heard his voice? Raspy sounds usually come from drakes, whereas distinct quack will come from your girls. I have 3 runners right now and they are around 10 wks old w/ drake feathers just beginning to curl a little, so my best guess is he is def older than that. There are many other keepers of Runners with much more knowledge than me, Amiga & Stonykill come to mind immediately, but there are still more, hopefully they will be on to chime in. If not, I would PM each of them. I do also agree that the eyes look swollen, but as I've never dealt with anything like that here, I suggest you do as advised by ML, the lady knows her stuff. Personally I have used I think it is Manna Pro Poultry Drench, as well as my personal fave, Sav-a-Chick. Easy to mix in the drinking water. I will say too that any rattiness you see in his feathers, I expect that will improve with regular bathing in clean water and good nutrition in a short time, def by the fall moult. Please post updates.

I heard his voice for the first time really early his morning.. Very quiet, totally different then my girls voices. Very sad sounding though. He seems very exhausted and spends a lot of time laying down. I was happy to see that my girls did lay on the side of their run that was closest to him to sleep last night, so I was happy about that.

Well, congratulations!

Agreed that nutrition is vital for the guy, as well as setting things in one place so he can get used to them, and using your voice to assure him. My runners seem to know what certain words with certain inflections mean, like "peas!" and "back!" to consistent terms may help him get around as well.

I talk to myself much more than I used to, largely (I tell myself) because making almost constant sounds lets the flock know where I am and what I am doing, and that keeps the atmosphere positive.

I have not seen a duck in his condition before. I wonder what the story is. Did he have an infection, an injury?

Lukewarm baths, vitamins, fresh vegetables, TLC, all can be helpful.

I wonder what happened to him too.. He's so beat up around his eyes it really looks like something or someone did it to him How different are the personalities of the runner ducks? I don't know a lot about them. I've learned a lot about my two Pekins but he seems very different from them. My two girls eat Mazuri Waterfowl maintenance (also their large selections of veggies and fruit.) http://www.mazuri.com/mazuriwaterfowlmaintenance.aspx will that grain type feed be okay for him as well?

 

[amander103]

We have decided his name is Nelson Here he is this morning.

 

[Amiga]

Nelson should do quite well on the Mazuri Waterfowl. Runners are energetic, animated, friendly (if raised right), smart, responsive. Some of mine are a little conservative about new things, some are early adopters, one in particular is quite the explorer. She is also the greeter - likes to meet people.

One is less interested in most people, but quite plucky. A few are huggy, no one likes being picked up. One is a real smarty pants.