HELP needed for my scruffy little blind duck!!!!!!

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Amy

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Hi
I have a wild Mallard Male duck who I have had for nearly 12 months. He is blind as a bat and can not be released into the wild. Over the last couple of months, he has gone through the moult but although his wing feathers seem to have grown back, his tail is still a bit manky looking and his head still is missing the deep greeny/blue pigment and looks brown/grey and patchy. When I found him last winter when he was poorly he didnt have much pigment but this last spring his colour came back and he was simply stunning to look at but now after the moult he has gone scruffy again. All the other male wild ducks I have seen are all back to full feather with all the coloured pigment back and they all look beautiful but my boy is looking a little scruffy still. Is he missing something in his diet?!? I am always concerned he doesnt get enough to eat as he is in a pen and obvioulsy being blind can not see the food so I always spread it all over and through it at him (nicely) and then he forages around himself till he finds it. He has a little pond (and a girlfriend) to keep him happy but I am concerned that a) he is not eating enough b) I am not giving him the correct food (he gets bread, layer pellets, mixed grain and greenery) and c) he is looking a bit manky.

Obvioulsy with the weather changing I want him to be at his strongest. Please can anyone help as I am at a loss and it is worrying me????

Many thanks
Amy x
 
Hi Amy,

Your Drake has gone into what is called 'Eclipse' plumage which they do when they moult (and the duck is bringing up the young) - this means that in the wild when they are looking after young on the ground they are more camoflage but flightless when moulting. By now, Mallards should be getting back to their attractive nuptial plumage but it might be he is taking a little longer than the wild ducks you see around.

As for why? I'll take a couple of guesses...

Theory 1...The colourful feathers of the nuptial plumage are thought to be coloured with carotenoid pigments acquired from diet and feather production relies heavily on protein so I'd take a guess that the wild birds might be able to forage for what they need. Your duck may be a little slower at getting what he needs if he is blind.

I would try to provide him with a little half bucket or bowl that can't be tipped over and put an inch of wheat in the bottom, topping up with water - this way he should get used to finding the bucket / container and learn that there is always a good supply of food in the bottom. I would cut back on the bread - it doesn't contain the right nutrient content. He shouldn't need many pellets at all - it is mainly the ducks that take pellets when laying to top up their calcium levels. Perhaps you could try feeding some meal worms to top up his protein to see if this helps?

Theory 2 ... He is blind... Sunlight is what controls egg laying in birds and day length tells are birds when to behave as they do. What if his body can't tell which season it is.

During his first year, he would have started moulting into nuptial plumage almost as soon as he got his young feathers so it would have perhaps worked out for him during the first year... this year, his body may be a little confused and it's not as fast as the others.

Could be way out here but it's an interesting case! Please let us know how you get on.
 
Hello Amy

Sorry to hear your little drake is blind, you could try feeding him some spaghetti hoops as well, of course it is more of a treat suppose, and see how he goes with it, I give mine that everyday as well as their regualr food. I read about a little duck who was blind. I must look up the details. It was able to make a little nest and I remember the lady in the story said it used its little beak like a walking stick to get around.

Best Wishes
Lorna
 
Just seen all the replies about little Duke so thank you for that. I didnt think to check back on here as sadly Duke passed away in his sleep on the 20th Oct. I guess he was an old boy hence why he had lost his colourings and nature took its course. My little Duke is now buried in my garden with a beautiful rockery on him and I am just glad he got 12 months extra where he had lots of food, warmth and a companion so I hope with all that he was a happy duck.
 
I have sat down tonight for two hours to read all the messages from people. Yours really touched me it is nice that there are really good people out there who can and will give time to animals that are less than perfect.
Sorry for your loss.
Peter
 
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