Baby Chick With One Eye Closed

[WTDavis]

Hey Guys,

I have a one week old RIR who has kept one eye closed for a few days now. The eye doesn't look infected or goopy, just closed. I noticed them peck at each other's eyes when they were a few days old, so I'm thinking she was injured, but then again it could be an infection or some other illness? I started giving her a Saline Solution yesterday in the form of eye drops. She seems to be eating and drinking just fine, but her rate of growth seems lower than the other girls. She's smaller and her wings aren't as developed as the others, so perhaps she's not eating as much as she should be.

Does anyone have any advice as to what else I can do? Should I give her an antibiotic eye drop?

Thanks,
Warren

 

[ninjadryden]

I just notice one of my six 1 week old baby chicks keeps one of her eye closed. I do not think it was closed yesterday. I evaluated her for about 10 minutes. She ate when the other chick ate. She like to stand alone near the other chick but still separated from them. Yesterday I gave them Electrolyte and Probiotics mixed in water. Since yesterday her energy level has improved. While the other chicks are walking around in the Extra Large Tote this chick in question likes to stay still and looks a little bit sleepy. When I reach in to pick her up she will react and run away and she seems like a fighter when I catch her.

When she does open that eye it looks okay but I do not know what signs to look for. Is it possible she scratched her eye? Is it likely she is sick?

 

[Outpost JWB]

Did you ever get a response about your chick's eye? We just hatched out some babies and one of the RIR has kept it's eye closed most of the time. Appears to be a bit swollen. No drainage. It is eating and drinking just fine. They are under a week old.

 

[MountainDirt]

I have a little silkie that's doing the very same thing. One eye closed, a little smaller than everyone else but eating and drinking just fine. What happened to everyone else's chicks?

 

[ronkonkoma]

Having the same issue. One eye closed when walking around also sleeping more money than others.

 

[MountainDirt]

I washed the little silkies eye with a damp paper towel and put some vitamins and acv in the water. The eyes are both wide open this morning and the little chick seems to be on par with everybody else today.

 

[Outpost JWB]

My chickens eye problem ended up being caused from a birth defect. She is from a partridge cochin hen and rooster breed unknown....not sure which one is the daddy. She is now 2months old and doing fine. Her eyelid does not open properly. I used eye medication sparingly on it the first few days. It made no improvement, so I stopped. She eats and drinks fine and sees fine out of the other eye. Also socializes well with the others in the flock. I just monitored her closely to see if she needed culled. But, to my surprise, she seems like she will become a wonderful loving hen. I just will not hatch any of her eggs. Good luck with your chickens

 

[ninjadryden]

My one eye chicken is doing much better now. She is grown up and both eyes seem to be healthy.

 

[Bukbuk Betty]

Has anyone found out what causes this? I have a broiler chick with one eye shut, 6 days old, just noticed it (there are 63 chicks). Seems pretty dozy and i tried to get it to drink. I put some super booster in their water not too long ago. Hangs out right near the brooder and is pretty lethargic. Any ideas what causes the eye issue? Other chicks are ripping around just fine. Hmmm....

 

[Outpost JWB]

I am pretty sure mine was due to inconsistencies in the hatching process. I used an incubator and I candled my eggs 3times. It was not my 1st hatch, but I am learning every time. Possibly this egg was near the side I opened too much. Maybe she had a hard time getting out of the egg. We don't really know. I know now she is a rhode island red/partridge cochin pullet. She has adjusted well. She never had trouble eating, drinking or free ranging. She is almost 4 months old. We will eat her eggs, we will just not hatch any out just in case it is something genetic. Hard to say. Hope yours does as well. We only cull our chicks if the chick is suffering. Good luck.