- Jul 13, 2012
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On Sunday February 17, we had 9 chicks hatch out of 18. These eggs came from our own ladies and consisted of silkies and EE's. I am a grad student and stay pretty busy at the beginning of the week so I have just been checking on overall health and feeding/watering the chicks who are in a brooder in an extra room in our house. A couple of days ago I noticed a little chipmunk brown EE spending a lot of time around the light. Yesterday I noticed that after I held this little chick she would slowly walk away and tilt her head. Yesterday I had my suspicions and today I am sure, this sweet little girl is blind. Her eyes look to be shaped to small. I can put my finger up to her and she does not blink. She also closes her eyes a lot. I spent some time just "observing" the brooder to see if and how she was eating/drinking. She actually tilts her head and listens to the other chicks and I saw her find her way to the food bowl. She is a slow eater but she was eating. I also watcher her peck and hold on to the feathers of a serama chick who is 1 1/2 weeks older but about her size.
Does anyone else have a blind chicken? I know her life will be challenged but I am willing to put in some extra work to give her a quality life. I realize free-ranging and being with lots of other chickens will not be in her future. Will my little chipmunk have a quality life? I understand she may not make it and I plan on making a cage for her and another docile chick. Any thoughts, suggestions, comments on blindness in chickens?
Does anyone else have a blind chicken? I know her life will be challenged but I am willing to put in some extra work to give her a quality life. I realize free-ranging and being with lots of other chickens will not be in her future. Will my little chipmunk have a quality life? I understand she may not make it and I plan on making a cage for her and another docile chick. Any thoughts, suggestions, comments on blindness in chickens?