Beginning to think my Rooster is blind

addiedunn

Songster
11 Years
Oct 12, 2008
520
12
164
Martinsville, IN
We have this rooster (1 of 4) who acts really funny. We got them all at the same time and they are all about 6 months old. We thought they were all going to be hens. So, being new at this, we just realized recently that all 4 are roos. But he rarely leaves the coop and huddles in the corner most of the time. He takes advantage of the others free-ranging to eat, but even if he does leave the coop, he doesn't do much picking or pecking or looking for food. We always thought he was just the least of them and hen-pecked. (We do have two hens). And when he does venture out of the coop he ends up in the garage or behind the grill hiding. Yesterday, I gave them all a few cheerios. When I went to find him he was behind the grill huddled and wouldn't come out. I tossed some cheerios back to him and at first he shied away from them and then when he did try and pick one up he would miss it. Right in front of him. Then he would get his head really really close to it, like he was trying to see it and try and peck at it and miss it again. There are paint spots on the driveway from where we painted the garage and he kept pecking at them! I don't know what to do about him. Any help? We're working right now on getting rid of at least two of the other roosters, but I hate to give someone else my problem. Am I stuck with him? We eat chicken all the time but I don't think I could eat something I've named.
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Here he is...we called him Lucy when we thought he was a girl. We call him Louie, now.
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He is in danger if he is not penned 100% of the time. I would advise you to get rid of him: Either to someone who hasn't named him (and would cull) or to someone interested in babying a special needs pet.
 
He kind of does respond to light and my hand, yes. He just isn't skittish like the rest. When I go to touch one of them they high-tail it. he jumps a little but doesn't run or back off. So he sees my hand coming and he blinked this morning when I shone the light on him in the coop.
Maybe he's just really near-sighted. I keep thinking about the little cartoon chicken with the big glasses. Egghead Jr. maybe I'll change his name. He just acts like he has no fear of anything, really, yet he hides all of the time. he does seem to be afraid of the rest of the chickens but the dogs can go right up to him and they're pals. Weird, just weird.
(I'm in Indianapolis, too, BTW)
 
addiedunn:

You should check out the poultry show meetings/swaps. One in Lebannon this Saturday. A few other people are going.


Btw he's a very beautyfull roo
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Nothing looks wrong to me.
 
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I have a hen with a vision problem. Except for the hiding part, she behaves much as you have described. She's learned to free-range with the others (my choice). I do check on her frequently and will return her to the vicinity of my roosters when she wanders too far away from the flock.
I guess your choices would be as the others have mentioned. Keep him, but don't expect him to be able to fill the rooster watching out for predators role or give him to somebody that wants to butcher him.
I love my little hen. She lays eggs and does just fine. She just has to have some help locating the flock sometimes.
 
I too have a hen with poor eyesight, she has a hard time with leaving the coop and hopping down the stairs, but other than that she seems well adjusted, sound just like yours, Gritsar. Addiedunn, if you aren't bothered by your Roos lack of vision, keep him, if you are, send him on his way. Be aware though, that if you are planning on keeping more than 1 Roo that "Lucy" will probaly end up getting picked on. I have 3 Roos and the smallest is always getting picked by the other 2.
 
Thanks for all of your help! Notice I found a picture of egghead for my avatar.
I think I'll hang on to my egghead for a while, see what happens.
 
My hen has a vision problem as well, but we think she can see at a distance but not close up maybe. As she can see me and will come to me, but trying to get food out of my hand can be difficult for her.

She is a sweet girl. We just let her be.
 

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