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Blindness
Occasionally ducks can either hatch blind or without eyes, or can go blind as a result of disease or injury to one or both eyes. Like with people, blindness can make things more challenging, however there are many blind ducks which are able to live happy, healthy lives. Ducks that are born with or acquire disabilities should not be so quickly cast aside---as there are many people who have kept and continued to care for ducks with blindness who have found it to be an extremely rewarding and worthwhile experience.
Do not let blind ducks free range where they are at a great risk of predator attacks, as they will be easy prey without their eyesight.
Keep birds confined within a limited area that effectively excludes predators from accessing the ducks.
Monitor the flock social hierarchy daily to ensure that the blind duck does not get picked on by the other birds. There have been many incidences where blind ducks find companions which stay by their side and defend them, but in other cases they may not.
Keep an eye on the blind duck's rate of weight gain or whether they lose any weight, which may result if they are having trouble getting to the food prior to the other chickens' eating it all.
Make sure to promptly and appropriately treat ducks with early signs of respiratory illness, as many can often lead to chronic sinusitis and later blindness.
Be wary when mixing roosters with ducks. There have been many incidences where aggressive roosters have pecking the eyes out of ducks living with them.
