Barred Rocks going blind? Thoughts and questions

[ravenfeathers]

it's canadian peat, but i admire the creativity of that thought process!!

 

[pips&peeps]

I would look into ocular mareks or leukosis.


http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/servlet/CVMHighLight?file=htm/bc/203602.htm&word=marek's

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/203602.htm&word=marek's

 

[PeeperKeeper]

I try!

 

[ravenfeathers]

pips&peeps :

I would look into ocular mareks or leukosis.


http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/servlet/CVMHighLight?file=htm/bc/203602.htm&word=marek's

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/203602.htm&word=marek's

opacity of the lens or pupil is not associated with systemic marek's. marek's lesions are found primarily on the optic nerve and other anterior structures of the eye. with ocular marek's ("grey eye"), the entire eye including the iris is clouded and the pupil is irregularly shaped or hyperdilated. that's not the case at present with either of my two birds. maybe time will spread the opacity and deform the pupils.

as for avian leukosis, that's a great guess as i understand that leukosis is often asymptomatic, but the ocular signs of the viral infection are bulging eyes and loss of iris colour. neither of the birds have those symptoms. also, my flock is closed, so the only method of infection for AL would be vertical transmission from the breeding stock. they came from meyer hatchery and i would certainly hope (although it may not be the case at all) that all of meyer's breeding birds are vaccinated appropriately.

thank everyone for your responses; it's very thought provoking. i'm going to call my vet out after the holidays and see if he can figure out my little mystery.​

 

[FrontPorchIndiana]

You might try calling the hatchery too. You never know, maybe they've run across the problem themselves.

 

[ruth]

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I know you posted that their "diet was exceptional" but also said that it was "incredibly unlikely" that it was a vitamin deficiency unless "there's a serious problem" with the commercial feed. Is commerical feed their only diet? Do they get to freerange or do you add other greens, vegetables, and meat sources to their diet?

If they are developing cataracts or some other type of eye issues, and it's starting to be more than one or two of the birds, I would seriously look at diet, espcially if you are only feeding them commercial feed. I know it goes against the norm to suggest that commercial feed is not 100% of what they need nutritionally but I just don't believe that it is. Chickens are omnivores and need meat protein. If freeranging, they would get it from all the bugs, slugs, worms, grubs that they eat. They also need fresh sources of greens.

So, since you didn't make any reference to their diet other than the exceptional commercial feed, I just wanted to offer the suggestion that you feed them extra greens and meat sources if they are penned birds. You may be doing that already and that may be what you meant by exceptional diet but if not, that would be my suggestion. Even if this were a disease that's spreading through the flock, versus a vitamin deficiency, a better diet can only help.

 

[ravenfeathers]

Quote:
Quote:
I know you posted that their "diet was exceptional" but also said that it was "incredibly unlikely" that it was a vitamin deficiency unless "there's a serious problem" with the commercial feed. Is commerical feed their only diet? Do they get to freerange or do you add other greens, vegetables, and meat sources to their diet?

If they are developing cataracts or some other type of eye issues, and it's starting to be more than one or two of the birds, I would seriously look at diet, espcially if you are only feeding them commercial feed. I know it goes against the norm to suggest that commercial feed is not 100% of what they need nutritionally but I just don't believe that it is. Chickens are omnivores and need meat protein. If freeranging, they would get it from all the bugs, slugs, worms, grubs that they eat. They also need fresh sources of greens.

So, since you didn't make any reference to their diet other than the exceptional commercial feed, I just wanted to offer the suggestion that you feed them extra greens and meat sources if they are penned birds. You may be doing that already and that may be what you meant by exceptional diet but if not, that would be my suggestion. Even if this were a disease that's spreading through the flock, versus a vitamin deficiency, a better diet can only help.

yes, their commercial feed is highly supplemented, which is why i described it as exceptional. i would consider a diet consisting of only commercial feed less than exceptional, too.

 

[ravenfeathers]

i just thought i'd post an update on my odd problem here.

two weeks later and both hens' eyes are clearing and it's obvious that they both have near full vision. they were also two of the first to start laying, but i'm sure that's pure coincidence.

i'll probably never know what caused them to go temporarily blind, but i'm pleased that it seems to be fading now!

 

[PortageGirl]

Wow... very strange! It's quite the puzzle, but yes, glad it's clearing up!!

[edit] and thanks for the update too!!!