Blind and confused hen.

[everway9]

Thanks chickflick. She is 5 or 6 years old. I think she was eating fine before the blindness.

stoopid, thanks for thinking of coming to get her. Bit of a long way to come though. Nevermind.

 

[everway9]

I'm just going to go and pick my dog up from my parents house so will be away for at least 30 mins but will check and respond to any replies as soon as i get back. Thanks for all your help so far.

 

[everway9]

Back now.

 

[drumstick diva]

I wish someone would address the issue of her comb being shriveled and dry. There may be some revelence in that. I know a purple comb usually indicated they aren't getting enough oxygen. My friend has had hens older than that but I wouldn't know why / if their combs shrivel as they age. With so many nasty predators out - not too many chickens get to that age. I hope she will be fine. I don't know how you feel about a chicken in the house but, I just wonder if she was in for a short while and fussed over (like watching tv with her in your lap) if she might enjoy it.

 

[chickflick]

I have hens that are 5 yrs old and their combs are fine. I don't know why the hen's comb is dry and shriveled, but would love to hear someone address it also.

 

[everway9]

Thanks again. I might well get her in the house tomorrow for a while. (If my girlfriend allows it). The thing with her comb is that up until recently it looked healthy and upright. It did always have one tooth which was a bit wonky but it looks dry, chapped and smaller than it did and now all the teeth are wonky. It is looking very old. She has nearly completed a moult so does look a bit scruffy anyway.

 

[everway9]

I'll take a picture tomorrow and upload it for you all to see.

 

[Avalon1984]

I am going to be interested to see this picture too. I had a young chick go blind on me. First she got pecked in one eye, I isolated her until she was much better and in a smaller group, then I put her back with the original group and they pecked the other eye. I isolated her but always had trouble showing her where the food and water was-until I had a chicken the same size as her get weak overnight and almost get trampled by the others. My husband was going to put it down but I wanted to give it 24hrs and voila, it perked right up. Now those two are together and the trampled chicken has recoved and is protecting my blind one. The blind one will huddle underneath it and talk to the other one. The other one is also showing the blind one where the food and water is. Maybe your chicken needs a companion of sorts.

 

[JoePa]

Do Jessica and yourself a favor - put her to sleep - what's the purpose of having a blind hen - she will not have a nice life - and you will be spending all that time caring for her - for what? - there is a time to be born and a time to die -

 

[everway9]

Thanks Avalon.

Thanks JoePa

If I can make it possible for her to have a fair quality of life then I would prefer to do that rather than putting her down. There is no reason to care for her other than that we like animals and care for them even if they are blind so long as they are happy. If not then we will put her down. Us humans dont get put down if we go blind. We adapt. Maybe hens are different but from all the replies from people who have had or have blind hens it seems that there hens were happy enough. I wish I knew what it was thinking.