Unpopular Opinion About Call Duck Breeding

This is probably my most unpopular opinion when it comes to call ducks- but it needs to be said. I don’t think we should be breeding any animals to look a certain way just because a book says so or because they will win shows. I think the most responsible and ethical way to breed animals, is with their own health and comfort as the number one priority. This applies to ducks being bred to be extremely large, just as much as those being bred to be extremely small. I just don’t understand why in 2022 the standard practice for breeding is still creating health problems, when much healthier examples of the breed also exist🦆

[@QuackZack]

There's no difference in cuteness either, they're all cute as buttons. Not sure why it's considered a duck beauty standard to be smaller and suffer more. I hope Sugar is living happily despite her medical conditions thanks to your care.

[@lauriegentry7764]

Show quality call ducks are also EXTREMELY hard to hatch alive, because the duckling's neck and legs are SO SHORT that they're unable to break out of the egg! The breeder has to judge exactly when it's time to hatch, and break them out of the eggs.

[@jenniferwilliams7166]

Thats so sad

[@sanayahbush8110]

7:40

[@LegendOfMoonDragons]

It's like this in show budgies too, which I'm more familiar with. I have a regular ("Australian") budgie and a show ("English") budgie. The Aussie budgie is 36g at a healthy weight, zooms around like an acrobat and has only had 1 major health issue in his life. My English budgie is 54g, 90% fluff, and while very cute, has been in and out of the vet every 2 months his entire life. He is 9 years old. I go to a specialist vet for birds. You can imagine the cost. To list the issues Charlie has: -On top of his regular down feathers, which every budgie has, his normal body feathers are 50% very very thick down, giving him a round, fluffy appearance, and meaning he's in danger of heat stroke at anything over 22C -Because of this, it is very hard to get him enough vitamin D, because I can't leave him out in the sun without him overheating, which has led to health issues (mostly compromised immune system). He is now on a vitamin D supplement but I still try to get him in the actual sun on vet advice, but it's really hard to do without causing him heat stress. -Charlie has the same poopy vent feather problem as Sugar -He finds it very hard to reach all of his feathers and ended up with a tumour-sized preening gland at one point because he couldn't reach it. Vet and I legit thought it was a tumour on the x-ray. Thank god it wasn't. -He is constantly regrowing new feathers, outside of his biannual moult, meaning he is constantly itchy. I have to spray him with a specialised moisturiser daily, otherwise he itches until he bleeds. -He cannot fly properly. I had a second English budgie until a year ago. He smashed into a cupboard during a moult because he couldn't get enough lift with his small flight feathers. Not a window. A cupboard. It had nothing to do with him getting to confused with glass. Because Charlie cannot fly well, he exhausts quickly and gets himself stuck in awkward places constantly. He can't keep up with my Australian budgie and he's clearly upset about it. -He has a terrible immune system. He can look at a germ on the other side of the room and suddenly fall ill with ANOTHER infection -We eventually learned this was because he has testicles 10x their normal size (yes, Charlie is literally blue-balling himself to death). He now has a hormonal implant that has to be replaced every 3 months, and has been in and out of the vet due to infections much much less since then, thank god. Show animals are bred for a certain look, not for health. I will never be getting another English budgie again, and as much as I adore Charlie, I would never have bought him had I known (fyi: bought him off a reputable breeder who was part of a Budgerigar Society, NOT a pet shop.) They are unhealthy animals and it is immoral to keep breeding them.

[@DunkinDucks]

This is all such wonderful information for anyone thinking about getting an English budgie! I actually had an interested in them in middle school and once I found out about the shortened life expectancy I decided to get an Australian one instead. My dad happened to come across one at a moving sale, so that’s how I ended up with my first budgie🤣

[@SeraphimGoose]

Do birds get their vitamin D from the sun? I have 4 regular budgies.

[@mlindholm]

@@SeraphimGoose I'd imagine all creatures basically do, which is why humans get it from UV-A exposure on the skin, or need to take supplements if you don't get enough in the sun. We don't get it via diet, unless it's from a fortified food like milk.

[@The1Immortal]

I would say that this is only unpopular in the show world. I think regular people wouldn't want ducks or any kind of animals bred to this.

[@DunkinDucks]

Agree with this completely! The show duck community will defend their guidelines no matter what, but most other people would realize why this kind of breeding is bad for the animals

[@Maekar19]

“This duck on the other hand is not healthy” The Duck: “Your moms not healthy!”

[@wolfbranchhomestead]

Thank you for bringing up the issues with how "show quality" animals often have so many issues that were bred into them to achieve a certain look. Here's to the misfits

[@TheBootsKid]

The best interest of the duck should be in interest when breading ANY animal.

[@1738Creations]

Remember that when you see meat on the supermarket shelves. There's a good reason meat produced in the US isn't shipped to the UK or Europe. It's pumped full of garbage to make it grow quicker, faster and bigger. Anything put in the animal is stored in its cells and passed on to those that eat it.

[@TheBootsKid]

@@1738Creations Yeah, that’s really sad. That’s why it’s best to get organic free range meat, eggs, cheese, etc.🙂

[@ryanelliott71698]

2:18 welcome to the dog breeding club. Where Frankenstein monsters are born. Just take a look what bulldogs looked a century ago and you’ll be amazed how we messed them up.

[@SeraphimGoose]

So I wasn't the first person to comment about bulldogs. Lol

[@emeraldmoon209]

I think Adam Conover has mentioned something like this in an episode of his TV show, Adam Ruins Everything, a few years ago.

[@musicteacher5757]

Spinonut, I agree. I started to get involved in dog shows with a breed that HAD been bred for health - but they were changing the breed standard. One bitch I had was bred for the new leg conformation and it caused her to get crippled. I quit. I'm NOT going to breed to a standard that injures the animals for show.

[@sweetsandcharades8383]

No wonder Sugar is so mad (almost) all the time. She is raging against the injustice of show over heath.

[@MrPillowStudios]

No! That is not why she's angry! What if she has mental health issues?

[@MrPillowStudios]

Sugar: *becomes aldof h!tler in front of the whole existence*

[@Sean-0017]

@@MrPillowStudios wtf

[@MrPillowStudios]

@@Sean-0017 yes

[@UsagiMimiChu]

Oh, it's the same with rabbits. To be considered "contest quality" they need to be small, but with huge eyes and almost no distance between eyes and nose. Which, you guessed, causes respiratory issues. I had a bunny who was breeded to be "smaller" purposefully. I loved him with all my heart because he was the nicest, but he was always sick. He didn't even know how to clean himself properly, his survival instinct worked... Weird? and did weird things that made his paws and tail dirty (not normal in rabbits). He passed away some years ago. I miss him, but I also hope they wouldn't breed like that... He had a really bad time, and if these animals are not in good hands it can be fatal.

[@isvbxlle5949]

Exactly! People criticize my rabbit because it’s not a lop rabbit or a dwarf. Like they are all cute. Stop being biased people- Some people just dont understand.

[@daniel_007]

I kinda feel sorry for Sugar, wish her neck was a little bit taller.

[@stephenhernandez7609]

All the Ducks are so adorable 😍

[@violetskies14]

This annoys me so much!!!!!! I have chihuahuas so those are the animals I know about breed guidelines for chihuahuas to be shown to be under 7 pounds and apple shaped heads. Those two things are problems! Apple head chihuahuas are more likely to have breathing problems and because their jaws are so small and compact they are prone to tooth decay and jaw infections especially as they age. My chihuahuas are deer head, which means their jaw is more elongated along with their heads and they're just as cute! They're also 7-10 pounds which is still a tiny dog but a little more sturdy and less fragile. Breed guidelines and show standard animals are almost always unhealthy and it needs to be stopped.

[@waterjade4198]

Aaaawwww... poor Sugar! Maybe that's why she's such an angry duck... I'd be angry and frustrated too if I couldn't breathe and clean myself properly. 😓

[@MrPillowStudios]

What if she has mental health issues instead?

[@MrPillowStudios]

Her: *Becomes leader of N*azi Germany*

[@Sillyducksociety]

Thank you! This totally needed to be said. There are so many Call Ducks out there for shows living in cages their whole miserable lives. We "rescued" one from a breeder at a local show this summer. She was so excited to finally be a free ranger that now her face and chest are constantly covered in mud and she's the happiest duck we have. Unfortunately, she has the breathing and water proofing issues that you mentioned and, because of that, I'm worried about hypothermia as winter approaches. It's not fair to these animals to take away their natural abilities so you can win a blue ribbon.

[@essysworld398]

That’s pretty sad, poor babies. Good thing she has such a kind owner

[@severalbees5115]

As with all the other examples people are mentioning, and you mentioned, this is absolutely true of dogs. specifically, I have an acquaintance that trains upland hunting labradors, and one day someone brought in a show stock lab. Unlike the upland dogs which are very lean and have long, thin legs, the show dog is very stocky and barrel-chested, and the poor guy got so hot and tired so quickly, he was much slower, and he just generally had a terrible time of it. And it's not even like they were doing anything specific to hunting, they were just running around the yard, which is something I think just about every dog enjoys.

[@Snowstorm174]

this needs to go for dogs too!! all the ones with the squished faces have trouble breathing, and it’s not healthy

[@feederdiaries4862]

No not all dogs with squished faces have issues

[@dashy9482]

Either way. They are all so gorgeous

[@sebastian_goat]

animals bred for show/purebreds always seem to suffer… my partner’s family’s golden retrievers have tendon/ACL problems, and my family’s ragdoll cats have kidney problems… I don’t understand how breeding animals for health over looks is an UNpopular opinion! thank you for talking out about this issue!!

[@Tifrybfwnsfb]

Another problem the show quality calls have is that they can perfectly develop in the egg but then not hatch due to their beak and neck size to being able to help it hatch out

[@musicteacher5757]

I won't have a Scottish Fold cat for the same reason. Breeding for the folded ears means that 25% of kittens die at birth, the gene is deadly 25% of the time.

[@mimi-milkymulti_fandoms6735]

I'm surprised that sugar was calm and didn't attack you

[@DunkinDucks]

Hahaha this was filmed at around 3pm, it’s currently 8pm and I still have red marks on my hands😅 She had time to attack me off camera😂

[@mimi-milkymulti_fandoms6735]

@@DunkinDucks haha, I see 🤣😅

[@crazycatlady39]

@@DunkinDucks She waited until the camera was off so her fans wouldn’t know.

[@ClownMod]

gurl make a documentary 👏 have them fear you

[@DunkinDucks]

I sooo badly want to create a petition to change the breeding standards for several breeds but I also fear how the show community & associations related to it would react

[@nanaadwoaofori7882]

@@DunkinDucks do it! The Dunkin’ army has your back

[@feederdiaries4862]

@@DunkinDucks are breeders hopeful that they can get ducks that have these desirable traits without the health issues???

[@feederdiaries4862]

@@DunkinDucks what would be the rebuttal from these breeders?

[@explosivemallard8038]

How dare you use common sense! This is really something that should've been changed back when we first discovered that inbreeding has negative consequences. It's disappointing these rules still exist. It's not just Sugar and call ducks either, practically all show animals like dogs are bred and made to meet expectations which damage their quality of life.

[@chattychatotchannel]

There are also incredibly unhealthy show pigeons where their tiny beaks make it hard for them to feed their young

[@MM-jf1me]

Terrible. Thank you for educating us on these health issues because I had no idea. Ensuring a duck doesn't stay wet seems like an incredibly easy thing for a judge to check for at a show that could really help improve the breed: any ducks that stayed wet should be instantly disqualified.

[@annachristine3775]

Our breeder said she wished she would have kept our female pastel call for show breeding after seeing how she turned out. She fits pretty close to show quality standards, but can just barely coat herself and we a lot of respiratory issues when she was a duckling, because of how tiny her nasal cavity is. I can't imagine breeding down her traits with a small drake would have a healthy outcome. Thankfully our drake is a beefy little tugboat if we do ever hatch out any from them.

[@gluGPU]

If I were sugar I'd be mad all the time too. We really take being able to actually breathe for granted, and well, no offense, but I'm surprised she can actually do it on her own with breathing holes that small Btw I don't like that name "Standard of Perfection" or whatever it is cause it just seems super pretentious. Nothing is 100% perfect 😐

[@cerickson5256]

You are one smart young lady! I don't have calls, just curious about them, but have pekins, and they're breeding issues are hurting them and making them unhealthy on the other side of the spectrum - they get so huge, so quickly, they suffer many issues with their legs and walking.

[@Diphyidae]

My two "show quality" call ducks were absolutely swamped with health issues. Went to the vet and spent so much time and money on them to try to get them healthy. Both ended up dying and absolutely tore my heart up. I now have 2 breeding quality calls and 2 pet quality calls. They are super duper happy and healthy ducks and are cute as all heck. Tbh I doubt I will be getting calls again just because they are so dang tiny, I worry about them constantly. I'm hopefully going to be able to eventually hatch out some mutt-ducks since I have some swedish blacks now and my male boys are pet quality and so large enough to get the job done. Though im not quite sure how duck breeding goes since I'm still super new at this... Really been waiting for your book to come out!!

[@musicteacher5757]

I agree. I started to get involved in dog shows, but they changed the standard for the breed I was interested in, to breeding dogs that had joint problems and were injury-prone. It's sad we do this with animals. I'm not even a PETA type, but intentionly breeding unhealthy animals that will likely suffer - for shows is wrong.

[@kimmiekoneko]

no wonder sugar has anger issues! i too can't breathe through my nose good, and it makes me furious! 😤

[@luna_marie]

I raised a family line of Mascovies a few years ago and earlier last year I had 4 pekin a mallard a Rowan and an Indian runner. Now I just got a few breeds from a very bad place and they are wonderful. I love ducks.

[@FeileCase]

I agree COMPLETELY! 🧡🌞🧡 The same goes for Dogs and Cats. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🤍🖤

[@elfiefromangelcity6142]

I only just learned about these guys today as I've always wanted pet ducks. I find it discouraging that I will have to be careful where I get them now to make sure they don't have these issues. Thank you for raising awareness!!

[@vr-vik5660]

Bloody hell those ducks are so adorable! Love your videos so much!

[@graceanderson16]

Thanks for educating people ❤

[@VeeDub2000]

This was so informative!

[@keelanc1681]

Honestly contest standard/quality is such a scourge on animals health in general. You would think that show quality would have the health as a key factor but nope.

[@paulamiles9559]

Thanx for showing us such cute ducks.❤

[@totallynottotally8237]

I totally agree but can we have a video of u hugging all your ducks?

[@peeweerivers]

My 4 preferences/breeds that i will raise would be white, gray, snowy and chocolate.

[@ashleygilbert5363]

It’s the same for all species. People get hung up in certain traits and then ruin animals. Or if not health problems they have major behavioral issues 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@amin9204]

I'm sorry I wasn't paying attention what you saying , I was watching cute ducks the entire time 🦆🦆🦆 😊😊🥰🥰

[@ericjohnson1008]

Thanks for sharing valid information the people that want to raise ducks should know before breeding them.

[@moonrun2]

This is the outrage for all pets. Look good not about health.

[@endy8411]

Idk about other animals but I woulf say the same for some, if not all, dogs. Like German Shepards with very low butts or in general flatter and flatter faces on bulldogs and the-like. Glad our GSD isn't like a show dog, although he is small and skinny compared to average GSD.

[@HilaryIsOkayssss]

You go girl. I hope your generation can change things. 💜💜

[@thebirdmaster7]

I was able to get champion with extremely mixed breed rooster it's only because the knowledge I also got a blue ribbon for the health and condition he was in they don't really care what breed your animal is in as long as it's a healthy bird and your knowledge is also very important

[@anthonymarshall2012]

Sugar: I'll show you a fucking show.

[@donaldhobson8873]

Evolution was trying its hardest at "healthy, good at breeding". Any time we breed for any trait, it comes with a health cost. And we can't run the show on healthiness, the judges can't measure it.

[@toasturhztoastbunz896]

Not even ducks either. A lot of human-bred dogs are also like this as well. In general, I think there should be more quality control whenever it comes to this kind of breeding.

[@NothingOfNoteToSeeHere]

Geez, I just realized I don't know what my birds are, standard or English. But I guess standard because neither had health issues causes by bad breeding. Geez, I'm a bad bird keeper.

[@FIOCCOCOCKATOO]

I didn't even know nor think about ducks being waterproof xD

[@trucid2]

It's interesting how the standard of beauty for these shows diverges from our sense of aesthetics into something completely artificial and into a category of its own. Same thing with supermodels. What is considered "beautiful" in the supermodel industry no longer coincides with the average person's standard of beauty.

[@G0une]

So CUTEEE I wish I could have a pet like that 😍

[@chanhtamnguyen7159]

So cute 😍

[@FIOCCOCOCKATOO]

Awwww they're so cute 😍😍😍😍💝

[@BooBoo-qj2zj]

Thankyou for teaching me and i wish i could get a duck to cuddle and play with 😍😍😍

[@emmadavies5290]

I completely agree!

[@Maskof7eyes2]

As a regular person and pet owner I want the healthiest animals possible to hell with quality for an arbitrary ruleset.

[@quinncreams4ellie]

Awwww so cute

[@desertdarlene]

Sugar did a really good job with you holding her. Please give her extra kisses from me.

[@dafleaz]

Amen!

[@partylizard8343]

her: talking about her opinions on duck breeding me: mmmmmm duck aaaah

[@bulbasaurbrutal5137]

Her unpopular opinions are wonderful!

[@DukeOnkled]

Show-quality ANYTHING is a horrid thing to do to animals. Show animals simply shouldn't be a thing, it's almost always abusive. It's one of those rich-people things that produces nothing but trouble for the sake of vanity.

[@Kommentierer]

That's the problem with nearly ALL pet animals. Randomized selection of characteristics makes in general much happier pets.

[@ghoull2010]

Small ducks is adorable

[@riverstein7251]

If sugar was bred to be a show quality duck with all of those health issues I can see why she just generally seems tired of everyone’s sh*t. She has a right to be the angry little thing that she is.

[@fireflyg341]

Change this opinion to popular because I AGREE WITH YOU! And ANYONE who cares about the health and safety of animals will as well.

[@racheledwards6497]

Are there any ducks that are that size that are healthy as the bigger ducks? And how did you get your ducks to not be afraid of you? Mine will not let me even pet them

[@Fishinwithluc]

How tall is a fully grown call duck ??

[@james.trussworm7150]

Poor sugar.. shes so cute

[@melonday3211]

you're totally right this is a real problem

[@Wheat777]

Not surprising. This happens with many other species as well. Serama bantams- bred to be smaller and smaller. “ the best” representatives have low to zero fertility. Smallest have difficulty hatching etc. extreme mutations that literally are skeletal deformations are the standard with massive health issues and poor longevity. Teacup chihuahuas with all the health issues. Shortybulls French bulldogs, basically all the tiny brachycephalic type dogs with labored breathing, extreme skeletal malformations becoming classed as “ exotic” having shorter than normal lives, living in pain etc. Munchkin cats with spinal mobility issues etc. they are all expensive and are purposefully bred mutations that mother nature herself would discard from the genepool. Sadly this low level consciousness has its roots deeply embedded in one aspect and one aspect only which is found only in the human species. Monetary gain. The highest and brightest life forms on this planet. Supposedly the most evolved and highest potential of consciousness here in this physical reality, that uses its creative abilities for worthless pieces of paper that actually have no intrinsic value in and of itself buy simply is a symbol of perceived value. Extreme big or extreme small means higher monetary yield no matter the animal species. Even within our own species where a mutation occurred. The first thought was not how to improve their quality of life but rather how much people would pay to see and gawk at them in circus or freak shows. Giantism, dwarfism , the hairy woman, the wolfman, the elephant man etc. It truly is a shame. Humanity will rise to higher levels of consciousness when we individually rise to it and become a collective. Love what we do have, enjoy them but perpetuate health, vigor and natural capability for the next generation. You make a great point. Thank you for taking the time to voice your concerns about it. Don’t worry about it being an unpopular opinion. It will only be “ unpopular” with the low level money based ones. One duck with health issues, one without health issues but both of the same breed. Those that will oppose your views have no logical, practical, intelligent leg to stand on, which will show the one and only reason to perpetuate these genetic anomalies. MONEY!

[@duckzncatz]

I mean look at how crippled the show quality German Shepherds are in the US.

[@vanesco7716]

How do you breed for down size ducks

[@justynh1321]

All these ducks are adorable, more ducks for the duck petting

[@Sean-0017]

Dam that's messed..great information...

[@feederdiaries4862]

So are there no show-quality ducks that don't have problems??

[@anastasiia1210]

I’ll definitely get a pet quality duck!

[@FantasyTheSloth]

SO ADORABLE THO

[@markholton4663]

Interesting.

[@insane7718]

I want giant ducks as cute as any other duck

[@FriendlyNeighborhoodGayGuy]

Duck's should just be ducks healthy with good lives Also Munchkin always looks like snow

[@stephanied9629]

So ordering Call ducks from a hatchery is better than from a breeder if you want Call ducks?

[@holyduck7744]

All duck want love and greatest way to show is by giving them bread

[@fahimmonayem5962]

Why are your duck is sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo cute i love the white one soooooooo cuta

[@Prashik_ft11]

Cute=Ducc quality

[@-Akira_Therian-]

*Duck* I'm joking lol

[@maenad1231]

Call ducks & pugs have been screwed over by humans

[@lisacepluch1152]

Sugar, we love you anyway! Dirty butts rule!

[@NitroIndigo]

No wonder Sugar is always angry.

[@talibhaq9755]

I love u more then duck😘

[@elombard39]

Poor Sugar❣️❣️

[@degolego13]

Funny thing about a call duck, is that ducks can't call anybody.

[@random22026]

This same 'standard' is the same for show poodles. They MUST be taken to a dog groomer to tidy their fur, which, when unattended, becomes matted. As with Sugar, they easily soil themselves, unable to get past the densely matted hair on their bodies. Cruel. 😥😥

[@ohthatdemoness6]

same with pigeons, sadly

[@anguria4663]

GG

[@fforfun1621]

I love duck I never kill and eat I treat them just like my baby👶