Deformed beak

[kimmyschmid]

I have just hatched 9 Indian runners and one of them has a deformed beak. She eats and drinks fine but her top beak is twisted and she only has one nostril. At the moment she is making some sniffy , sneezy noises because I think she has some food stuck in her nostril but she has given herself a good wash and doesn't seem too worried. Should I leave her and see how she gets on or would it be kinder to put her out

of her misery? I wouldnt want her to be struggling for breath and unhappy

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

@Speceider??? @desertdarlene???

Sorry but I have not seen that one before, so have no advice to offer. Good Luck.

 

[BarredRocks3]

I would keep her, just let nature take it's course, if it really is bad she'll die. Just don't use her for breeding when she gets older. Good luck

 

[Miss Lydia]

I agree just always make sure she has a bowl or bucket deep enough to keep her nostril cleaned out good and a bowl deep for her feed so she can scoop.

 

[Amiga]

If she is not part of a really big flock on an impersonal kind of place, I think she could be just fine.

Sometimes we can find veterinary specialists who like to - for lack of a better word - tinker with resolutions to difficult problems. There may be some kind of prosthetic, kind of like orthodontic braces, that could help shape her bill into a more standard shape. I would ask around and not take the first no for my final answer. Vet schools, good ag schools, look online for stories like Buttercup the duck.

Meanwhile, what Miss Lydia suggested sounds like a good plan for now. I would add poultry vitamins to the water once a week for her first six weeks. That way if this is from a nutrient deficiency she may be able to catch up in other ways as she develops. I am not saying it would fix her bill. But it might help it grow better.

And maybe the poultrypedia site has a section on bills….

I must go away from the computer for a while - could be quite a while - so I may not be able to respond quickly to posts for a bit.

 

[emarie44]

Funny- I just posted about my duckling with a deformed beak. When i got my duckling it looked somewhat like your's beak. I hope it stays like that and doesn't curl up like mine has. If you want to see pictures, look at my thread. I have no idea what to do either.