2 month old chick suddenly goes blind!??

[AnimalCrazed]

So I'm pretty sure I have a blind chick.. got her from a local breeder in May. She is a super blue egg layer, but unfortunately I don't know the exact mix the breeder used. Almost 2 months old (my best guess) and was acting weird this week, like was distant from the other chicks alot.. just hanging out alone and stuff. Comes up to eat and kinda pecks around the bowl but doesn't really eat and then just lays down again. She has become pretty thin, so I separated her and by following a thread on here I started tube feeding her. It's been just two days. I can tell she has a bit more energy than the first day so that's encouraging... BUT my question is what the HECK might have happened to cause her to go blind or partially blind? She looks completely fine no white on her eyes, no skin issues, no signs of anything on her. Her pupils just seem large but that's the only thing I've noticed. Is there something else I need to check for or something else that might be wrong with her? I'm just trying to get an idea of what might have happened...

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Mareks perhaps, otherwise I've had a hen go instantly blind by trauma to the neck, dog grabbed it and squeezed too much which damaged the eyes.

 

[Ebony Rose]

I'm more concerned with the weight loss since a hen can live if she's blind, but if she loses too much weight, she'll lose her life. You say 2 months old? When did you last treat them for coccidiosis or other internal parasites? Coccidiosis is everywhere, on every continent around the world, in everyone's back yard... wild birds will gladly dump a load in your chicken run as they fly over... you get the idea... Young birds and adults that are immuno-compromised due to an unrelated disease or injury are very susceptible to it, otherwise chickens tend to build resistance to it over time. Her weight loss could be from other illness, of course, but I'd be thinking Cocci and/or worms first.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So I'm pretty sure I have a blind chick.. got her from a local breeder in May. She is a super blue egg layer, but unfortunately I don't know the exact mix the breeder used. Almost 2 months old (my best guess) and was acting weird this week, like was distant from the other chicks alot.. just hanging out alone and stuff. Comes up to eat and kinda pecks around the bowl but doesn't really eat and then just lays down again. She has become pretty thin, so I separated her and by following a thread on here I started tube feeding her. It's been just two days. I can tell she has a bit more energy than the first day so that's encouraging... BUT my question is what the HECK might have happened to cause her to go blind or partially blind? She looks completely fine no white on her eyes, no skin issues, no signs of anything on her. Her pupils just seem large but that's the only thing I've noticed. Is there something else I need to check for or something else that might be wrong with her? I'm just trying to get an idea of what might have happened...

Can you post some photos of her and her eyes too?
What are you feeding?
Is her crop emptying overnight?
Taking a sample of her poop to your vet for testing is always a good idea.

Ocular Marek's does come to mind as well.

 

[AnimalCrazed]

 

[AnimalCrazed]

*All the chicks were treated for parasites when I brought them home, so about a month ago. I didn't think Coccidiosis could cause blindness
** I thought about marek's but thought it had more visual scabs and skin stuff??.. this is why I need some tips.
*** her crop does empty over night. I'm following a thread of what to feed her, I'll see if I can find it and link it. She gets about an ounce of food (sometimes a little less) twice a day. When I have help I give her more, I don't always have a helper.
Today she came to the front of the cage when I started talking to her... like she was waiting for me, and she definitely has more energy
I've treated for Coccidiosis before but never marek's. She really seems fine except she can't find her food.

(The page on BYC is called "step by step crop feeding guide")

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If you move something around her face/eyes, can she follow it?

 

[AnimalCrazed]

Sort of, she acts like she is trying to see it sometimes. She doesn't see me walk past the cage but will come up when she hears me. And the pen I have her in she stays to the edges but walks all around the pen. I feel like she might see a bit... I really don't know. The last two days she's been cleaning her feathers and walking around, she wasn't doing that before! I ran some chick feed through the blender and mixed that in with some ACV and chick vitamins into what I was already giving her. Now that she is used to the process of feeding it goes a little smoother and I'm able to give her a bit more.