OMG!!! Duck born without eyes! ***UPDATE!! 11/01 with pics***

[bufforp89]

So I just had a very sucessful hatch other then the last duckling out was born without eyes! At first I was thinking that its fluff was just matted over the eyes but it has become apparent that there are no eyes. Well I shoule be more specific, on one side there is deffinently no eye, not even an eye socket as seen in the picture but on the other side there is an undeveloped eye that is not open, much like puppies or kittens when they are born. I am pretty freaked out about it, It was very unsettling to pull out of the incubator!! So my question is why was it born like this? Any specific reason that they are born without eyes? Also should I cull it? I really hate to and this would be my first time culling a baby but I will if I have to. I am perfectly fine with having a special needs pet, it wouldnt be the first time but if it is going to have no quality of life whats the point........

The pic..........

 

[MakNat]

I hate to say it... Cull it... That is no life to be blind. So sorry. Congrats on your others!

 

[tnchickenut]

It depends on if you could give it a quality of life. Ducks don't have the best eye sight after dusk anyways...

You got to think about preditors and it finding it's way without getting hurt. Poor baby. You may have to cull. I would have a hard time with that one, myself.

You MAY want to wait a day or so and see if that other eye opens up a bit more. If so, I personally would keep it if it was mine. I somehow end up keeping all the misfits.


Good luck.

 

[Mahonri]

Have any pet snakes?

if not

Cull it yourself.

sorry you had one hatch like this.

 

[LittleMamaBigPapa]

So very sorry....
It is true that it would be a very difficult life for the little duck and for you. You have a tough decision to make.

 

[bufforp89]

blaaa I know I should I just hate to....I had a blind parrot a few years ago and he was great, I think it made him much more trusting, i also have a blind chicken now that is with the rest of the flock and does great...............

 

[barred-rocks-rock]

It pains me to say it, but cull it. If you dont want do kill a duckling just wait till it gets 5 or 6 weeks old and let someone else do it.

 

[GreenGoddess]

If you already have birds that are blind, then this would be no different.. if you are willing to take the time to care for the little guy (or girl) then i say go for it.. It would be a little different if you've never had to deal with a problem like this...

Goddess

 

[dntd]

If you can care for it I'm sure if you provide a safe place for it it would do ok, bird use thier eyes but they also use thier beaks to find food, beak are super sensitive. They also can hear, unles it's deaf.

 

[fancbrd4me02]

How does this bird act? Is he behaving normally otherwise? Do you think he can eat and drink? If he can do that, and you can accomadate him with a safe enviorment, you might not have to cull.