I will bite, please know I respect your opinion but I also love a good debate. If I understand you correctly you would like all crested ducks to go extinct?
I have a beautiful crested duck, I believe she is a Silver Swedish. I did not buy her but got her from a friend who was getting rid of her. Her name is Mayo.
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She does not have any neurological problems and her six ducklings did not either (they also did not have visible crests).
I recently read the book, “Unnatural Selection”, by Katrina Van Grouw. I highly recommend it. It is about all the “deformities” or mutations in dogs, chickens,ducks, etc. that humans have intentionally bred for. First, she says that problem seen in crested ducks isn’t from the hole, which closes up as the bird matures, but that a few are born with bony tendrils, called osteophytes, that can grow into the Pom-Pom or the brain. If they grow into the brain it causes the nervous system issues like being dizzy. She says that MOST crested ducks do not have these tendrils. Good breeders do not breed ducks that have those problems and therefor the tendrils. There is a simple, harmless test to test for issues. Ducks are places gently on their backs and timed for how long it takes them to get back upright. The faster ines are used for breeding.
And, as I said before, the hole closes as the bird matures. Human babies are born with a “soft spot” or hole where the bones of the skull meet. It allows are brains to continue to grow. So, the hole itself isn’t a good reason in my opinion.
The Pom pom itself is made of fat. Recently they have found similarities between those fat bodies and those found in humans with Parkinson’s. What if crested ducks hold the key to cure Parkinson’s.
Interestingly, the feathers found on the crest match the back feathers, not the other head feathers. Not any reason to keep crested ducks but fascinating.
Anyway, the book also documents how humans have bred for the hooked bill in Hookbill ducks and the bowling pin stance of the Runner ducks. Both have there advantages and disadvantages and are “deformities” from nature. So is the size of Pekins for that matter.
Personally, I think we all need to inform ourselves with as much knowledge as possible and breed for the health of our animals. I do not think getting rid of crested ducks is the answer.
