Baby chick from TSC with an eye injury and I'm not sure how to treat.

[CraftyClucker]

She was in the sick bin for 4 weeks with this eye injury. It looks pretty severe. I have a flock of six that are the same age as her. If she is going to be part of that flock she needs to be strong enough to not get picked on. How do I help her? What are my options? I am honestly feeling like her outlook is kind of bleak.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Hello! Is it an injury or just a deformity? I had a chicken that I got specifically because it had scissor beak and was missing an eye. She turned out to be super friendly and loved people and attention. She was lower in the pecking order, but she was alright and learned to cope with her disadvantage. Your chick will probably be just fine, but she may just need extra attention and care to prevent her from being picked on or getting an infection or something else like that.

 

[CraftyClucker]

Hello! Is it an injury or just a deformity? I had a chicken that I got specifically because it had scissor beak and was missing an eye. She turned out to be super friendly and loved people and attention. She was lower in the pecking order, but she was alright and learned to cope with her disadvantage. Your chick will probably be just fine, but she may just need extra attention and care to prevent her from being picked on or getting an infection or something else like that.

I'm honestly not sure if it's an injury or a deformity. I would err on the side of it being a deformity. Is very thick and very cloudy over that eye and it doesn't close very well. I worry mostly about introducing her to the rest of the flock.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

She may get picked on a bit at the beginning especially, but she will learn how to work with it. You may just have to watch her a little more closely and spend more time with her so she doesn’t get seriously injured (which would be unlikely anyway) or get too lonely. Her other eye works though, so it shouldn’t be too hard for her.

Also, injuries seem to increase a bird’s dependence on people, so they actually end up being extra friendly and nice to their owners or companions.

 

[CraftyClucker]

She may get picked on a bit at the beginning especially, but she will learn how to work with it. You may just have to watch her a little more closely and spend more time with her so she doesn’t get seriously injured (which would be unlikely anyway) or get too lonely. Her other eye works though, so it shouldn’t be too hard for her.

Also, injuries seem to increase a bird’s dependence on people, so they actually end up being extra friendly and nice to their owners or companions.

How long do I need to quarantine her? And how long can she be without a companion? I don't want her to be lonely but finding another singleton isn't easy. I was planning on thinning my flock this year but chicken math got a hold of my partner actually lol I have 7 chicks now that I had no intentions on getting. I will get her a companion if she needs one but I really don't want to.

 

[Prince and Pavo]

Well you said you have six other chicks that are the same age, correct? They can be her companions so she doesn’t have to be alone.

 

[CraftyClucker]

Well you said you have six other chicks that are the same age, correct? They can be her companions so she doesn’t have to be alone.

Yep! I worry so much about her getting picked on. I need to make sure she is free of any parasites or sicknesses before I introduce them though.