Blind baby chick??

[pepperlady]

I have some baby chicks that hatched on Monday and I have one that has not been acting like the others. She cannot seem to open her eyes at all. Could she be blind?? If so, what do I do???!!! She is noticably smaller than all of the others

 

[RonC]

Is she eating and drinking on her own? If she is not you will probably have to cull her or she will starve. Sorry there is no easy way to say it.

 

[pepperlady]

I have not seen her eat or drink on her own, but today I picked her up and used a dropper with electrolyte water and she would drink it when I touched her beak to it. She didn't gulp it or act like she really even needed it. She was not interested in any of the food that I tried to get her to eat either. I'm not sure if she is just so weak that she doesn't care or if she is somehow finding what she needs when I am not ou there with her. She really likes to be with the other chicks & on;y cries when I move her where she can't hear or feel them. I just really don't know what to do. This is only the 2nd time that I have had chicks, and last time I had NO issues at all.

 

[sumi]

Have you tried wiping her eyes to see if they are stuck shut? Use a wet Q-tip and carefully wipe along her eye lids. If that doesn't help... You can successfully raise a blind chick, but it's going to be a big commitment. Here's one member's story:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/520492/newly-hatched-chick-no-eyes-update-1-31-12-she-layed

 

[pepperlady]

Thanks Sumi. I tried that a couple of days ago & it didn't seem to change anything. This afternoon when I was checking on them after lunch I found her dead in the coup. This is my first loss

 

[Brandi Leigh]

Thanks Sumi. I tried that a couple of days ago & it didn't seem to change anything. This afternoon when I was checking on them after lunch I found her dead in the coup. This is my first loss

Sorry to hear that. It is really sad when they die so young.