Hens: one eye dilated and one not.

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calderoncc88

calderoncc88

Hatching
5 Years
Nov 30, 2014
6
0
9
https://imgur.com/a/t2b4J

Why is this happening? I have not noticed this before but that does not mean she hasn't had it forever. Should I be concerned? She eats and drinks regularly and is currently inside (due to a critter we are trying to take care of). She is not a layer, but rather an older rescue we got as a companion chicken for our layer (who the critter killed).
 
I'm sure you know the round pupil is the normal eye.

Marek's can cause the abnormal eye appearance, but likely it would have affected both and there should have been other signs.

A trauma could cause the damage, and since she is apparently healthy otherwise, I would guess a remote injury.
 
Welcome to BYC. Both eyes are abnormal, but different. I'm not an expert on Mareks, but I would guess that she has the ocular form of Mareks. Chickens with ocular Mareks may be blind, but can live for a long time. Here is some info:
http://extension.unh.edu/resources/files/Resource000791_Rep813.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq

MD-012A%20x750.jpg
MD-024A%20x750.jpg
 
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I don't think it's that because she is not blind. That is the only disease Google came up with when I searched the symptoms. She has no other signs of illness or disability. So yeah, maybe it is a generalized injury.
 
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I just copied your pictures for the thread to make it easy to see what we are talking about. Are your sure she can see out of the right eye? How long have you noticed this? Was she vaccinated for Mareks? I really hope it's not Mareks, but if you notice any others in your flock with unexplained lameness or tumors, I would investigate further. There is something called a coloboma defect in the pupil in humans and animal eyes, that can be a keyhole shaped pupil, and it is just a birth defect that doesn't affect the eye. Here is a thread with a picture of a chicken with bilateral coloboma who may or may not have Mareks: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/845701/ocular-mareks-any-doubt
 
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Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to post pictures in the box. It kept rejecting me when I tried. Brand new here. She is all that is left of my flock. But before there was never anything wrong with any of the other hens. I don't know if she was vaccinated. She is a rescue and was meant to be a companion chicken. I know her dilated (normal) eyes can see because I can see it change in size as my finger get close. I am almost positive she can see in the abnormal eye as it seems she can see me moving closer. Is this eye disease everyone is suggesting harmful to us or my other non bird animals on the house? Should I be concerned having her in the house?
 
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You can post pictures easily if you have 10 or so posts on this forum. In my above thread, I posted a link about another chicken that has a coloboma. I am not even certain that Mareks may be her problem since that you feel that she can see. She would be on no harm to any of you or the animals, unless she had Mareks, and you had other chickens. If I got any other chickens, I would have them vaccinated for Mareks before bringing them home. It doesn't affect other species of birds as far as I know. So she is fine for being a pet. Thanks for rescuing her.
 
It can be a traumatic injury in the past, but that would likely cause at least reduced vision. I don't know how one can be certain she sees well from that eye…she may still have light-dark differential and with their exquisite hearing, know you are near. Human eye traumatic injuries often look exactly like that. I researched Marek's and Colombo eye findings and could not find a reference that would state whether both eyes were effected. But I agree, when in question, make sure any new members to be raised with her are vaccinated to be sure. Otherwise, I would not worry, and love her.
 
It isn't uncommon to see one pupil larger than the other. I have seen it a few of times over the years, and the chicks which developed into adults suffered no head trauma, or died from Marek's disease, and were able to see, eat, pick, scratch, and lay eggs. Sometimes it is just genetic. So long as the bird is healthy and active, don't be too concerned.
 
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Ok thank you! I have only had chickens for a short time and with all the recent tragedy with my flock, the one I have left is important to me to keep alive and healthy. She is thriving being an inside chicken for now. She is eating and drinking regularly and grooms like it's her job in life. She is kind of inactive. She just wants to perch and not move much. I have to take her off her perch three times a day usually to eat and drink, she eats her fill 5-10 minutes, and when she is done, she goes back on the perch. I know she was a pretty inactive chicken when outside too so I am not too concerned. And when it isn't raining she will go outside during the day light so hopefully she will get more exercise when that happens. Thank you!!! On average, how detrimental is a lack of exercise to a chicken?
 

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