Keeping a Blind Chicken

[lala4578]

Aww what a sweet little baby you have!! Pretty fluffs!

Below is a pic of the food and water I have in the run.



For a run, the minimum standard is 10 square feet per bird (which I find way too small) so if you can give them more space that is great! I also let them outside the run to forage in the grass and gardens with temporary boundaries set up via chicken wire. The more active birds respect the boundaries 98% of the time. FC doesn't move around too much but she does like getting out and
nibbling grass.

 

[awarmrainyday]

Aww I'm so glad for FC! It's amazing how resilient they can be with a lot of TLC.

My rescue roo and house chicken Chester is extremely old and blind in one eye. Thankfully he still has vision in one eye but he's too old and vulnerable to be with a flock. He mostly is happy staying in his tote sitting on his roost by the window. He prefers to have his heat lamp on all the time-- he's spoiled and thinks anything below 72 degrees even inside the house is cold and will crow his head off until I plug his lamp in-- I try to wean him off this in the summer as much as possible but he is like father time of the chicken world so I let him have his way. How much more time could he really have left on this earth? He prefers to be carried around otherwise and only tolerates short trips outside to forage. I noticed that outside he stays close and keeps his blind eye to me, and he gets upset if he loses me and I have to call for him until he sees me.

 

[16 paws]

Yay for Chester!
Thanks for sharing, how old is he? Any pictures?
Marie

 

[awarmrainyday]

@16 paws He's the white silkie on my shoulder in my avatar. We have no idea how old he is, he showed up on doorstep during a rainstorm and was in horrible shape and near death. We knew he was old then by his feet and spurs, we never expected even after rehabilitating him that he'd make it this far! This is him when we found him and now.

 

[Ballerina Bird]

Thanks so much Ballerina Bird.
Yes, after taking her picture today and looking back she has grown a lot!
I am so tickled that you are following along. It really goes much deeper than keeping a blind chicken.

First of all its people like you that are kind and are cheering her on. That makes me want to cry, to know that some people out there really care if this bird has a life and her life matters really touches me.
I know in some sort of weird way I am a better person for taking care of her. I thinks she has something to show us all. It may not be revealed what that is right now but it will be revealed. 
Cant wait.

And to get to talk with other blind chickens owners like lala4578, that is fantastic.
Thanks again for checking in, I will post updates.
Oh and by the way lala, I am also taking care of a severe scissor beak Salmon Faverole named Edwina.
Marie

That is so sweet. I think you are right that she has something to show us all, and I think you and she have already shown us a lot about courage and love.

 

[16 paws]

@16 paws He's the white silkie on my shoulder in my avatar. We have no idea how old he is, he showed up on doorstep during a rainstorm and was in horrible shape and near death. We knew he was old then by his feet and spurs, we never expected even after rehabilitating him that he'd make it this far! This is him when we found him and now.

Oh I love Silkies and he is a handsome lad. He looks like a giant powder puff. I have a white silkie I named Puff. Silkies are so precious to have roaming around with the flock. They seem to have great temperaments, at least the ones that I have had were sweet. Glad you are spoiling him in his golden years.
Bless you,
Marie

 

[ForrestGump]

With my blind chick, I put some lower roosting bars in the coop for her. I had to help her find them and figure out where to roost for the first couple of days. I also had to help her get up and down the ramp to the nest boxes. Now she does it just fine by herself, and she will also fly down sometimes. She remembers where things are in the yard. Today she was running and I watched her jump over the water bowl. Somehow she knew right where it was and avoided it perfectly. They will adapt quite well when given the chance.

 

[16 paws]

With my blind chick, I put some lower roosting bars in the coop for her. I had to help her find them and figure out where to roost for the first couple of days. I also had to help her get up and down the ramp to the nest boxes. Now she does it just fine by herself, and she will also fly down sometimes. She remembers where things are in the yard. Today she was running and I watched her jump over the water bowl. Somehow she knew right where it was and avoided it perfectly. They will adapt quite well when given the chance.

Thats so good to know. Was your chicken blind from birth?

 

[ForrestGump]

Thats so good to know. Was your chicken blind from birth?

Yes, she hatched with blindness and also slipped tendons on both legs. Her main issue from the beginning was learning how to eat. We didn't know she was blind, but figured it out when she would peck at the floor but couldn't eat. She also wasn't growing at all. I think her vision has actually improved as she has gotten older. She can see movement and also colors like red and orange.

 

[16 paws]

Yes, she hatched with blindness and also slipped tendons on both legs. Her main issue from the beginning was learning how to eat. We didn't know she was blind, but figured it out when she would peck at the floor but couldn't eat. She also wasn't growing at all. I think her vision has actually improved as she has gotten older. She can see movement and also colors like red and orange.

Aw, bless her heart. I am glad she can see a little now. I am hoping that CL will have some vision in her eye that is still intact. The other eye is gone completely. She likes to sit on her food bowl so she remembers where it is. LOL