Advice needed for tending to a blind chick

[Birdland10]

Hello all,
Have any of you reared a blind chick?
I have a teo dat old one eyed chick, which apparently seems to be blind in her one eye. I'm not going to cull, I'm going to give it everything I've got to give her a good life. I've read many stories about blind chickens and that they adapt and live good lives, so I want this for her. I just need to get her eating and drinking.
I've been using a syringe to drop water and mushed crumble to her, but she's not really taking to it. I know she'll need a place where the water and food bowl are in the same place everyday, but I need to get her eating and drinking first.
Any advice? Constructive criticism welcome.
Thanks

 

[boskelli1571]

I use 'super-gruel' - it usually works.
Get some vitamin/electrolyte powder and mix with water per instructions.
Mix some of the solution with chick crumbles until its oatmeal consistency. Try dipping her beak in it and see if she will eat by herself, if not continue with the hand feeding.
This way she gets food and some water, but she will still need to have extra water. Good luck, let us know how you get on, Sue

 

[Peppercorngal]

She may not survive. I don't think it's a good idea to "force feed" her. In the long run that is not really helpful. Think like a mama hen. They peck the ground showing the chick where and what to eat. I have found to get little chicks started, I use my finger to tap the feed. That usually gets them going and they start to eat. Even if your baby can't see it, she will hear and feel the tapping and instinct should let her know to peck there. Water is a little harder. You will have to dip her beak and be sure the waterer is near the food. Try this tapping solution and see if that helps her to know to eat. If she is not going to eat on her own, I don't know. Do what you think if best. Good Luck

 

[Folly's place]

Is she with other chicks, and are they letting her get to the feed, water, and heat source? How active is she?
I wonder what else might be wrong with this chick. Is this an eye injury, so a painful eye? If congenital, she may have other problems that aren't so obvious. If it's only one eye, and she's otherwise healthy, she should be eager to eat and not need intensive nursing care.
Is her breathing labored compared to her flockmates? It's not hard to cause problems with force feeding, although I hope not.
Mary

 

[Birdland10]

She may not survive. I don't think it's a good idea to "force feed" her. In the long run that is not really helpful. Think like a mama hen. They peck the ground showing the chick where and what to eat. I have found to get little chicks started, I use my finger to tap the feed. That usually gets them going and they start to eat. Even if your baby can't see it, she will hear and feel the tapping and instinct should let her know to peck there. Water is a little harder. You will have to dip her beak and be sure the waterer is near the food. Try this tapping solution and see if that helps her to know to eat. If she is not going to eat on her own, I don't know. Do what you think if best. Good Luck

I have tried the tapping but she doesn't respond at all. Maybe she's deaf as well? I've resorted to opening her beak and dripping the mush in one small blob at a time. And she swallows! I'm unsure how much to give her though? Maybe until the crop feels full? I really am stumbling blindly myself. But she's worth a shot.

 

[Birdland10]

Is she with other chicks, and are they letting her get to the feed, water, and heat source? How active is she?
I wonder what else might be wrong with this chick. Is this an eye injury, so a painful eye? If congenital, she may have other problems that aren't so obvious. If it's only one eye, and she's otherwise healthy, she should be eager to eat and not need intensive nursing care.
Is her breathing labored compared to her flockmates? It's not hard to cause problems with force feeding, although I hope not.
Mary

Thanks Mary.
She's no interested with others, unless they run up against her and then she tried to cuddle under them. She's very vocal, I think because she's hungry? Her face is concave where the eye is missing and the other doesn't open properly, and slightly mal positioned. I have a feeling she may be deaf. The only luck I have had is opening her beak to drip the food in. Tiny blob at a time, and she swallows it. She's tiny, much smaller than the rest of them were when they hatched. Her breathing seems normal.

 

[boskelli1571]

Thanks Mary.
She's no interested with others, unless they run up against her and then she tried to cuddle under them. She's very vocal, I think because she's hungry? Her face is concave where the eye is missing and the other doesn't open properly, and slightly mal positioned. I have a feeling she may be deaf. The only luck I have had is opening her beak to drip the food in. Tiny blob at a time, and she swallows it. She's tiny, much smaller than the rest of them were when they hatched. Her breathing seems normal.

Is it possible to raise the feeder up to her beak height so she can try to self feed?

 

[Folly's place]

Blind and deaf, and maybe with other issues, isn't survivable for a chicken. She can't interact with them, doesn't know what's going on, and, sad as it is, should end very soon.
Mary

 

[Peppercorngal]

I have tried the tapping but she doesn't respond at all. Maybe she's deaf as well? I've resorted to opening her beak and dripping the mush in one small blob at a time. And she swallows! I'm unsure how much to give her though? Maybe until the crop feels full? I really am stumbling blindly myself. But she's worth a shot.

You can try to save her but it doesn't look good. Nature has a way of "selecting" those to live and unfortunately, she's not the prime candidate. If she lives, you will have to feed her and see and hear for her her whole life. I'd let her go. It's more humane than prolonging her pain. If she is crying, she's in pain, lonely, hungry, thirsty, or all of these. So sorry about this poor chick.

 

[Birdland10]

Hi everyone, sad news, but maybe expected, little one passed away. She wasn't eating well, but made it do day five and then I found her passed away in the morning. She was happy to perch on my finger and take some syringed food, but only a small percentage of what was on offer, but obviously just not enough. Thanks for all your advice.