Heartbreaking Dilemma

[Pekin Mama]

I have a crested pekin that hatched at the end of April. He was born with wry neck that we corrected with some vitamins. After his neck straightened we realized the neurological problems are much more severe. He can not walk or swim. In the beginning I took this on as a challenge, that I was still going to make his life the best it could be. But as he is maturing the sadder the situation is becoming. He takes many hours a day of care. I take him outside and lay him in the grass and he usually gets him a mucking hole going. I let the other ducks out to free range and his brother will come over and visit with him. I will also fill a tub with a few inches of water and let him play for a bit while I work outside. Inside he stays in a clear plastic tote so he can see us all move around, and we talk to him. I have put bird toys inside his tote to try and keep him entertained. At night he gets another bath in the tub in the house and then I spend an hour holding him to help him dry his feathers. He gets lots of treats some of his favorites being watermelon, tomatoes, Porter peaches, and collard greens. My dilemma is that he spends approximately 20 hours a day in his tote in the house laying on his left side (he won't lay on the right). Is this cruel? I am just so torn by this and what to do! For example today I have to be gone from the house for 6 to 7 hours, and I have felt nothing but guilt that he is just there alone.

 

[Amiga]

I don't feel it is cruel. I would get him an unbreakable mirror and perhaps a washable stuffed toy (with nothing on it that he could pull off and swallow).

Duckyfromoz has had some special needs ducks - you may want to talk it over with her.

 

[crazyfeathers]

Wow Pekinmama you are in a difficult situation. You need to do what you feel is right. No one really knows how the guilt that you feel - feels. Best of luck with your pekin, I will keep you in my thoughts.

 

[Amykins]

I'm sorry if this is an unpopular opinion, but I feel that in his case, euthanasia may be best. :/ But only if you can do it at home, with a house call from a vet, who will make him feel comfortable. I feel so, so bad for your poor baby, and you're a saint to devote so much time to taking care of him. But I don't think he's all that happy...he may even be in pain, from the sounds of his strange refusal to lay on one side.

 

[Pekin Mama]

I really appreciate your opinions. My next step is going to be building him a walker. There is a duck named Lemon who was born with almost identical issues to Gert. They built a walker and the duck was able to move around. You can Google Lemon the duck, the owner even wrote a children's book about this duck. I go back and forth, it is just so hard, just want to what is best for him.