Blind chick. Friend wants to raise it need advice

[LoneCowboy]

I hatched a bunch of chicks a few days ago and one seems to be blind. No eye on one side and the other eye won't open. I've pryed it open and it looks ok, but I don't know if she has any sight in it. When I put her back in the brooder, she looks up to the light but I don't know if that means she can see the light or not. Anyway, she looks totally healthy and fine which makes it very hard to cull her.

My husband told one of my egg customers about her and she's such a softy. She wants to take it and raise it until it's 8 weeks old and see how she does and if the eye will open and get better. At which time She'd have to rehome her. I remember all the stories of Blind Tiny so I know it can be done, but I need advice on how is best to help her survive. Will she need help eating right now? I make sure she gets water.

She plans on picking her up tomorrow. So I wanted to know what to tell her.

 

[the1much]

put a bowl of water in 1 place, small enough for her to get into, and drink, and in another spot, 1 thats easy to remember, like if in a box, pool in 1 corner, food in next corner,, when putting the food in, do it slowly so she can hear it, and when she gets to it, pick up the dish so she doesnt have to bend much to eat, and after every bite, lower it,, do that for 3 or 4 bites, till its sitting on the ground,, she'll catch on FAST

 

[Wifezilla]

Someone got shipped a duck in similar shape. Apparently it can find the food and water by listening to it's broodmates. If she is willing to give it a try...why not?

 

[chookchick]

Can she take another chick or two to keep it company? Has she ever raised chicks before? If the chick is doing okay now, it seems a shame to change her situation to one where she might be lonely, then would have to be reintroduced to unfriendly chickens later. If the woman was going to keep her, with one or two others, that would be different.

 

[G Wiz Ranch]

I have a duckling that is blind, no eyes at all. She seems to be able to hear the others eating and drinking. I keep the food and water in the same spot in their 8ftx8ft brooder. When it is swim time in the kiddie pool, I put her in first and let her swim by herself for awhile, she seems more at peace, when I add the others, she looks a little overwhelmed with all the noise.

I believe the best thing to do is keep her with the others and they can help her "sonar" hearing and to also keep the food and water a constant. It is working for mine. I will say this, I know she eats, and she eats a lot, but she is not growing like the others and her head is shapped a little funny.

Remember as far as she knows, all of them are blind, its the only thing she knows.

 

[G Wiz Ranch]

Oh yeah, their sences are better than we think. I put shredded lettice in the pool and she finds it. So cute.

 

[AK-Bird-brain]

Try not to get to attached, blind chicks growing to maturity are rare. If you have a laser pointer you can aim it down near its feet and move it around. I chick with sight will go after it.

 

[LoneCowboy]

If I give her a friend and it ends up to be a roo, then I'd have to take her friend away and that would be sad. Of course if she ends up being a roo, she'll probably get eaten by somebody when she gets rehomed. I can't care for her here and the guy who's taking this hatch is a real farmer so he'd surely cull her. I can't leave her in with the others, because there are 20 of them and they are running all over everybody as it is. I hate this part of hatching.