Ducks toenail fell off. Why was it so long?

[Sierra67]

 

[shawluvsbirds]

View attachment 3264294View attachment 3264295

Ummm...
Because they grow if you don't clip them or they don't have any stones or whatnot to file them down naturally.
That's probably why it broke off. It was overgrown.

 

[Sierra67]

Ummm...
Because they grow if you don't clip them or they don't have any stones or whatnot to file them down naturally.
That's probably why it broke off. It was overgrown.

She’s the only one with a long nail, and that was the only nail. My 11 other birds are short nailed and there’s plenty of rocks and things that they walk on all the time

 

[shawluvsbirds]

She’s the only one with a long nail, and that was the only nail. My 11 other birds are short nailed and there’s plenty of rocks and things that they walk on all the time

don't know what to tell ya, it is what it is. That one nail grew freakishly long for whatever reason lol.
Mine have stones to walk on too but i still have to trim their nails from time to time.

 

[Sierra67]

don't know what to tell ya, it is what it is. That one nail grew freakishly long for whatever reason lol.
Mine have stones to walk on too but i still have to trim their nails from time to time.

How often? This bird is only a year old

 

[shawluvsbirds]

How often? This bird is only a year old

I'd say on average every 4 to 6 months. I picked up one of my a call ducks yesterday that just hatched in june of this year and noticed his nails needed trimming already.

 

[shawluvsbirds]

I have one call drake out there who's dew claw nails will grow freakishy long like that if i don't keep an eye on them. And if I don't get them trimmed they will come off like yours did. It's not a huge deal for them to come off like that as long as they don't happen to get infected.