Call Duckling with Deformed Beak

[HeiWalker98]

I hatched some call ducklings and one of my babies came out with his/her little bill messed up. I’m not even sure if it has actual nostrils and it’s tongue sticks out the side of its bill but it’s full of energy and running around with the other baby’s. I was just wondering if y’all thought maybe this baby would make it or if it’s a lost cause? I feel like he wants to live but everybody around me is saying that I’m causing him to suffer

 

[Miss Lydia]

Okay we need @WVduckchick she has a call with a deformed bill and can tell you that little one IS NOT a loss cause. if your seeing full of energy and running around with the others I'd say you got your answer. I think it's adorable. Might need a deep bowl for eating so it can scoop it's feed.

 

[WVduckchick]

I have one almost identical! He just turned a year old last month. I think I made his food soupy with water for the first few days, but haven’t really done anything else special for him. His tongue still hangs out and looks hardened, but doesn’t seem to cause him any issue, except he doesn’t preen as well as my others, so he stays a little ragged looking. He also seems to take longer to eat (or is just always eating!) but he is still smaller than the rest of my flock.

Just went outside and took this one:

 

[HeiWalker98]

Oh thank you sooo much. That gives me a lot of hope that he’s got a real chance. I’m already obsessed with that baby and I want it to have the best shot I can give it. I named him/her Spooky and I miiiight stare at him so much that he gets uncomfortable lol

I have one almost identical! He just turned a year old last month. I think I made his food soupy with water for the first few days, but haven’t really done anything else special for him. His tongue still hangs out and looks hardened, but doesn’t seem to cause him any issue, except he doesn’t preen as well as my others, so he stays a little ragged looking. He also seems to take longer to eat (or is just always eating!) but he is still smaller than the rest of my flock.

View attachment 3135142

Just went outside and took this one:
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Your baby is absolutely precious! Look at his sweet wittle face!

 

[ruthhope]

What a sweet little fluffie!

This little one might find it easier to eat liquid food at the moment. You can mix the starter crumbles in lots of water to make soup.

So good that you have the encouragement from WVduckchick. As advised, use a deep bowl for food. Later you might "hand" feed treats like defrosted peas in a plastic cup that tapers to a narrow base. The long walls of the cup keep the peas from scattering. My pekin with a damaged bill gets so excited with peas that he would get none down if they were just left out for him. But in a cup he can plow them within the confines and get them into his bill.

 

[Duckduckchicken32]

How is the duckling?