Pecked in the eye by a chicken??

Wow. Nine pages of people being pecked in the eye, and yet I don't recall that being mentioned in all the chicken care threads and books I have read since getting chickens. Most likely, it was mentioned briefly as an aside and just didn't grab my attention.

What I do read a lot about is how everybody cuddles and loves on their chickens and turkeys. I think the eye pecking warning needs to be made more often. I am used to my chickens pecking gently at everything on me, such as my toes, shoes, rings. I guess I was aware that they check things out, but I didn't think that eyeballs would attract such aggressive interest. (By now you have probably guessed that I was pecked in the eye. Yes, it was my curious, and extremely friendly 2 month old turkey poult, who could still fit on my shoulder. No more of that!)

So I thought I would bump this as a public service announcement, lol. When we encourage newcomers to tame their chicks, we should also remind them to watch their eyes. Someone in an earlier page mentioned keeping safety glasses in their coop. I think that is a good idea, and that safety glasses around chickens should always be advised. Most people will probably decide to skip the glasses, but the more it is mentioned, then maybe the fewer people who will be surprised by a peck in the eye.

Oh, and my husband was reading over my shoulder, and he thought it was ironic that "The Chicken Chick" was posting about eye safety, and her avatar shows her holding a chicken at eye level, inches from her face!!



Anyway, Happy Easter everyone! Stay safe!

Well, if one of my brood ever pecks ME in the eye, since I already have some vision loss, it would not end well for them. Orange Chicken, anyone? Animal attacks are not cute. My sister-in-law's yellow lab, sweetest dog on the planet (passed away this week at 14) had had enough of one kid's poking her in the eyes...she tore open the kid's face (a relative of my sister-in-law) at a family gathering, and the insurance company paid out over $100k for plastic surgery. Been bit by dogs, hamsters, rabbits in my 60 years of living. Even once by a stupid lizard I had caught. Scared of barking dogs to this day. Today, my 7 week old roo took a nip at me, twice. First time ever. I am going to test the integrity of our coop tonight with him being the sole occupant. The girls will have the night off in the brooder. He had better hope that the raccoons in the neighborhood are sleeping tonight, or that the fortifications I installed are up to the task.

Amazingly enough, there is a sure fire way to not get your eyes pecked.

Don't let the birds near your face.


I can guarantee I will never be pecked in the eye or on the face. Birds are just never that close.

donrae said:

Amazingly enough, there is a sure fire way to not get your eyes pecked.

Don't let the birds near your face.


I can guarantee I will never be pecked in the eye or on the face. Birds are just never that close.

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Lol, you know what they say about saying never...

got me in the corner of my eye shiny and enticing to my young icelandic chicken

Chicks and chickens are very REAL threats to your eyes and vision. In my years on BYC I have often see the results(pictured) of children and adults that got pecked in the eye. Chickens aren't necessarily doing it to harm you - they just are drawn to shiny objects. They also swallow rings and earrings but, losing the gift of sight is very greater punishment.

I have often preached that children should never hold chicks up to their face and should always wear goggles or glasses around them. Adults can make sure they DO. But most adults don't want to listen to reason or take advice

It isn't just chickens, I'm sure cage birds, and other fowl are just as intrigued by shiny objects. It's like waving a red flag in front of a bull.

When I was recovering from my turkey eye peck, my family was teasing me that I should wear a patch over it. Then they said maybe that's why pirates wear eye patches! We went out that evening, and we actually saw a woman wearing a patch. Boy did I get teased. They said "Look, Mom, that could be you!" and "I wonder if she got pecked by a turkey!"

I have glasses that are mainly for reading, so I don't like to walk around with them on. But I do make sure to wear them when I go out into the yard now. You never know when you might have to examine something on a chicken or handle it close up. I can't imagine keeping chickens and NEVER picking them up or looking at them closely. How would you check for mites?

Yesterday my adorable little Sicilian Buttercup flew up to the back of the chair I was sitting in. This is not unusual. But this time, as I was turning to look at her, she pecked me hard in the eye. It hurt like hell, but I shrugged it off and went to bed.

Today my eye is swollen shut and is even more painful. It won't stop watering. I feel like I'm an allergic reaction, too. Sniffling, sneezing, etc.

Going to the doctor in a couple hours.

Hard lesson learned.

I wrote up my "pecked in the eye" story here: http://milkbarnfarm.tumblr.com/post/127087759171/a-dinosaur-tried-to-eat-me

fraying said:

I wrote up my "pecked in the eye" story here: http://milkbarnfarm.tumblr.com/post/127087759171/a-dinosaur-tried-to-eat-me

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Yikes...good thing you had it checked out.
You might only get one small tamale out of that little chicken.