Blind Chick

[chicken19]

I have a americauna chick whom I think is blind. She had pasty butt that I had to clean off everyday for a while but it's stopped now. She's smaller than the other chicks and sleeps in a corner of the brooder.
I haven't seen her eat or drink lately and her crop seems empty.
Any suggestions?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Doesn't sound like it will make it, some aren't formed correctly and will die in the first week. The best you can do is keep it warm and make sure you have something in the water for energy, some have low blood sugar, I personally use a teaspoon of brown sugar for every quart of water, otherwise there are prepackaged stuff, but Brown sugar has always worked for me. If it won't drink try dripping some in it's mouth a drop or two at a time, then let it swallow, a small bit will tell you if it helps as it should perk up after a bit, if not it might not make it.

 

[chicken19]

She is two weeks old and has a large foot that is not swollen or infected, just larger than the other.
She seems to have trouble eating and I fed her chick crumble, mixed with water to make a mash. I had to stick it to my hand and press it on the side of her beak. Even then not much got in. I also dipped her beak in some water and tried to get some into her.
She actually perked up after that.
She is behind in development and has not tail feathers yet. She is also small.
Unless she get's worse I don't want to cull her.
I have plans for her if she survives though. She will become a house chicken.

 

[chicken19]

Thank you!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

It sounds like you are doing all you can for her. I wish you luck and hope she improves.

 

[chicken19]

It sounds like you are doing all you can for her. I wish you luck and hope she improves.

Thank you so much. I will try your sugar water if she get's any worse.
I have one question though, how many times a day should I try to feed her? She only got a little bit this time but I'm not sure if I should try feeding again?

 

[Mountain Peeps]

I've raised a blind chick once before. Here are my best tips for raising yours:
Teach it sounds. Use a different sound for the water and immediately after making said sound, dip the chicks' beak in the water. Do a different sound for food and show it where the food is. Also, teach it different sounds for "danger", "come" and "quiet" too. (Trust me, these will help tremendously.) I tapped the food dish for the food sound and made a clicking sound with my tongue for water. When the chick heard these sounds, it immediately dropped it's head and began searching for the food or water. It came running to the side of the brooder when I called it's name in a loud, cheerful voice, it flattened itself against the ground when I made the "danger" sound. When I made the humming sound and held the chick under my chin, it immediately shut up because it recognized that sound with "quiet."

I hope these tips help! Best of luck!

 

[chicken19]

Thanks! The food and water sounds will help tremendously!

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Thank you so much. I will try your sugar water if she get's any worse. 
I have one question though, how many times a day should I try to feed her? She only got a little bit this time but I'm not sure if I should try feeding again?

I would try at least a couple times a day, a little at a time, it should fight a bit if it's not interested.

 

[chicken19]

Ok, that's what I did. I fed her again and she is staring to perk up. I started training her for water and food and she's already catching on!