4 Year Old Blind rooster!

[Chickengeek2020]

I have a rooster who just turned 4 last week, he's been blind in one eye for a couple years, but I'm pretty sure he just went blind in the other eye. He's my favorite rooster I have, and I hate that he's going blind. I've never had a fully blind chicken before, how can I best help him? He's my baby, him going blind is hard enough, losing him will be devastating. what's the best way to make sure he gets food and water? He hasn't been himself in a few weeks, but when I got home from work he was fluffed out and had his eyes closed and when I gave him food, he heard it and started pecking at the floor trying to find it.

 

[BarnyardChaos]

I'm so sorry for your boy! But all is not lost, if you can learn to tube-feed him. You might try restraining him (wrapped in a towel) and hold the moistened feed in your hand in front of him, and see if he will take it. If not, tube-feeding might be the only option:
Written by @casportpony:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ng-guide-pictures-under-construction.1064392/

 

[Eggcessive]

Since he started pecking at the food, he sounds like he would eat and drink if you offered it a few times a day. Try some dry feed first, and water. A small bowl with chicken feed, water, and maybe alternate a little egg or tuna might be good.

Is he in with other chickens? Is his area familiar to him and fairly small? Most totally blind chickens can still see some due to the pineal gland in the brain sending signals of light and dark. Usually if one is kept in a small familiar area, they might be able to adapt to blindness.

Do you have other roosters or know why he lost his eyesight? Any pictures of his eyes might be helpful.

 

[Chickengeek2020]

Since he started pecking at the food, he sounds like he would eat and drink if you offered it a few times a day. Try some dry feed first, and water. A small bowl with chicken feed, water, and maybe alternate a little egg or tuna might be good.

Is he in with other chickens? Is his area familiar to him and fairly small? Most totally blind chickens can still see some due to the pineal gland in the brain sending signals of light and dark. Usually if one is kept in a small familiar area, they might be able to adapt to blindness.

Do you have other roosters or know why he lost his eyesight? Any pictures of his eyes might be helpful.

Thank you so much, for your reply. He was in with the others until Friday, (I have 4 other roosters and about 20 hens. Nearly all the hens hang out with 2 of them) I brought him in to keep a close watch on him and help get his strength up since he probably hadn't eaten or drank anything all day, he seemed to be a little weak. He's been eating and drinking pretty well on his own over the weekend. I've had to direct him a few time to the food/water bowl, but he's already adjusting pretty well. I took him outside for some fresh air yesterday, and he seemed to have been pretty happy about that. He was chattering some when i was getting his box cleaned out. And got mad at me when I was putting some vetrx under his wings, since he was showing signs of having a little bit of trouble breathing, but that's gone today. He's been happy today, took him outside to visit the others for a little bit then broght him back in. He's been preening himself all afternoon. He's adjusting, and I'm starting to have hope that he might just be able to regain his sight after a little while of extra TLC. This was the best picture I could get of the newly injured eye. I'll post a picture of the other eye in a minute.

 

[Chickengeek2020]

Here's his other eye. This is the left one. It's been blind for right at a year now. As you you can see, it's just black with white cloudy spots on it.

 

[ChickNanny13]

2x @Eggcessive
Perhaps get a large wire dog cage, keep food/water in the same spot, he'll adjust to where everything is. Sounds like he already is adjusting. You maybe able then to put the cage in the coop with the flock, or just keep him separate (pet) taking him out to visit with supervision when with flock.