Blind Mona's Journey

SlyDog

In the Brooder
Mar 30, 2017
37
12
29
Dunsborough, Western Australia
So I've decided to keep a picture update on my little blind bantam, Mona. Her story is posted in my "Welcome" thread, but I'll copy and paste it here if anyone wants to read it.....

4th Feb 2017 was hatch day and 3 regular sized eggs hatched perfectly..... I had one bantam in the batch and it didn't hatch until the next day


I knew she was going to be smaller than her full sized sisters, but Mona was tiny!




I noticed she behaved differently to the others and soon figured out her eyes weren't there! This is her at 5 weeks.


While her sisters thrive, Mona remains tiny. She has grown, but still fits in my hand.




I was worried she wouldn't cope with the ramps into the hutch, but she has managed to find her way up and down, though she does wait for me to lift her down in the mornings, and place her on her tray of food. I try to make sure she gets some food down before the other bustle in. Her Mamma was very good and stayed with her for weeks, constantly clucking so Mona knew where she was.
Today, Mamma Milly decided it's time for the babies to fend for themselves. She hasn't been running to their calls, and I even saw her give Mona a few light pecks.!

This is Mona last week, Still a lot smaller than her sister.




This is Mona today. She has her comb coming in finally, has grown, but still tiny.





Here's some close ups of her "eyes" :) I'm certain there's nothing there.





Now that she no longer has the protection of her mother, I'm worried how she'll cope. I want her to stay in the coop, as coming inside is not an option (4 dogs). I will continue to make sure she gets her food and water, and special treats, and hope for the best....
 
It's very nice, what you are doing for this chicken. Lots of people would not give her a chance at life.
And for that I give you two :thumbsup :thumbsup thumbs up
 
Well Monas been evicted. After being protected by her mamma and big sister, today she was given a few sharp pecks by mum, and a cracker from sis
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I picked her straight up and while she nestled into my neck, I made up her new bedroom, complete with duster ( not feather, but I'll pick one up tomorrow), a little dog blanket nest sitting on top of a dog warming pad, her little water bowl, and her little food bowl with some mashed pumpkin. After some cuddles she's settled down under her duster and seems content.
I'll put her outside in the morning and lock the big girls out in the enclosed r.un for the day. She should like that.
I noticed her beak looked a bit red too, she does peck down pretty hard, so she may have bruised it?
Any suggestions on what I should do would be welcome.
She's still small, size of a quail small, so not sure if I feed her starter pellets at 9 weeks of age, or to growers pellets. Her beak is too small to take a full pellet, so she's been getting either crumble or mash so far, with vitamins added. I haven't managed to get her to eat anything other than that. She wouldn't eat scrambled egg, or peck at green leaves or eat from my hand. I did see her scratch and peck on the lawn the last time they were out, but I don't know if she actually ate any of it. I just don't know how to get her growing!
 
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just do as you are sounds like you are doing a great job. Maybe pick her up a little bantam friend (cochins are great) as you know they are flock animals and need friends. If you get a chick and after it gets big enough put it with her they should get along fine.
 
Thanks @Hillaire , I think I will get her a little buddy. I have 3 bantams already, but the two older girls are top dog and second in command, so she's got no chance with them. Her Mumma, Milly, laid an egg this morning, so she's well and truly over her babies!
I haven't seen anyone selling Cochins in my area (Western Australia) so I'll have to search around.
 
Mona is now 10 weeks old and loving the inside accommodation. She doesn't seem to have grown this week, I guess I should weigh her to be sure, but it doesn't really matter.

She still won't eat from my hand and the only thing I've managed to feed her other than pellets, is some mashed pumpkin and some natural yoghurt, and that's only because I plopped it over her food and she occasionally put her beak through it whilst pecking. I tried to feed her a meal worm but I just couldn't get her to peck at it - frustrating.

This is her with her next buddy who is a full size chicken. You can see the difference in growth is quite marked, even though Mona is a bantam she's nowhere near adult size.




Ain't she cute :)
 
SlyDog, have you ever heard of clicker training for a blind dog? I'm thinking this might be useful for helping Mona. The clickers can be found online for under $5.
 

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