Is my duck dumb or disabled?

[RavenStorm]

So, I was talking with my cousin about the differences between my two ducks. The Khaki is very bright and smart with great survival instincts. Yet the mutt has always acted like she was a little slow. Then my cousin who is into horses mentioned that horses with blue eyes often have sight problems and when they get older typically go blind quickly and suggested that this might be the problem with my mutt duck. I have no idea if what she said is true, but my mutt does have blue eyes and sight problems could be the answer to a lot fo the dumb things that she does.

Does anyone know if blue-eyed ducks are more prone to being visually impaired?

 

[streemers]

i dont but what kinda stupid stuff?

 

[Harley's girl]

I have never heard of this, I am interested to see what the out come is. My duck has blue eyes but she is not dumb at all. She knows her name and she comes running as soon as I walk to the pool. (She know I am cleaning it out for her!) In the chicken world usually the mutts lay the best. Maybe she is just letting you think she is dumb. LOL

 

[RavenStorm]

Quote:
She falls, a LOT, because she doesn't seem to notice things like a rock or a hose in her way. She is a horrible forager and won't pick up tasty bugs from the ground; I have to pick it up and hold it in my hand (yuck!) right in front of her before she eats it. She will freak out if the other duck is more than 10 feet away from her as if she can't find her. She ignores high-flying predator type birds, but if a low flying butterfly or house finch comes by she flips. In general, she just seems to have poor survival instincts and a very bad sense of coordination.

 

[elliemay0305]

sounds like she cant see!

keep an eye on her it would be horrible for something to get her

 

[RavenStorm]

Quote:
See that's the thing, I know she can see or else she wouldn't be able to find her food and water since I tend to move them around the run often. It's not like she can't find a little of her own when she is foraging, but she is just not very good at it. She sees me coming from across the back yard and either get's excited or runs away.

 

[streemers]

odd duck. maybe she is a little off or maybe she is blind in 1 eye?

 

[BantyHugger]

It sounds like its blind to me. I have never seen a blue eyed duck before. My dog has one slivery eye (he is blind in it). It does look terribly messed up or anything he just can't really see out of it. Maybe it the same with your duck.

 

[streemers]

good luck with the crazy duck!

 

[banter]

Blue eyes don't necessarily mean blind. I think my Pekin years ago had blue eyes. My white and spash Sebastopol geese all have blue eyes. Ducks and geese have very keen hearing. Your duck could be blind or partially blind, and listen for where the others head for food.They can feel vibrations in the ground. Can you test it somehow? It also can just be shy and self conscious-unsure of itself. Ducks and geese can be very clumsy when they're nervous!