Blind chick?

[Southern28Chick]

I brought my chicks home this morning and one of my barred rocks just stands in one place chirping very loudly. She seems pretty weak (except for the chirping part). I give her water but she won't drink on her own and I don't think she's eatin anything yet.

What should I do? Was the 2 day trip just to much for her and she's just slowly dying?

Please help.

 

[justusnak]

Did you try sugar water? This gives them a little extra boost of energy. Maybe she is cold? Try holding her close, and feeding her some suger water...see if this helps. Good luck with your little one, I hope she makes it!

 

[birdlover]

Does she react at all when you put your hand near her. I'm just wondering if she could possibly be blind? Have you tried dipping her beak in sugar water. (I don't know what age we're talking about here.) When I have a chick that needs extra TLC, I feed it plain yogurt mixed with some chick starter and egg yolk. Keeping my fingers and toes crossed she makes it. Oh, and like justusnak said, be sure she's nice and warm. Hugs,
Ellen

 

[Southern28Chick]

What do you do with a blind chick? Would she be able to survive? The temp in the brooder is about 95 so she's nice and toasty.
Most of them are sleeping now so I can't tell which one she is. Maybe she's fine and me being a first time chick mom I'm noticing little things that maybe are nothing to worry about.

Oh they're 2 days old

I have just noticed, whe I put her beak in water she'll lift her head to swallow it down then gets turned around away from the waterer and bends over to get some herself and puts her beak right to the floor. I really think she can't see!

What do I do, she's not eating at all.

 

[iopele]

Well, for the first 48 hours, the yolk sac provides enough nutrition for the chicks. I don't know about a blind chick--I know blind cats and dogs do just fine provided that their food and water stays in the same spot. I think a chicken could do the same, but it depends on your setup.

Perhaps try to hand-feed your baby some crumbles? I'm not sure how to help a reluctant chick to eat. Perhaps others can offer more advice...

 

[kingsdaughter]

I had one that was blind who did the same thing. I tried antibiotics in its eye and it didnt do anything. The next morning it was dead. :|

 

[birdlover]

Southern,
I've never had a blind chick but know of others that have. If it were me (and I'm just going on instinct), I would put it in a small, separate container, with heat, and use the chick starter as bedding. Needless to say, you would have to change it every couple of days. That way it can eat off the ground and not go wrong. And I would put a small lid of water in one corner and never move it. Be sure it has heat too. The people I know who had blind chicks said they did okay as long as nothing was moved around. You may need to put one other chick in with it to keep it company. Crumbled hard boiled egg yolk would be good to have in there for it to eat too. I hope it's just a fluke and turns out just fine!! Keep us informed, k?

 

[Oaknim]

I have a friend who has a blind turkey - she does just fine with her guide buddy, an old hen. The hen helps guide her around outside so that she doesn't bump into things, but the turkey has pretty much adjusted herself to the coop to where she can maneuver around by herself. So who knows, your chick might just need a little seeing eye chick of her own! ~ Oaknim

 

[AccidentalFarm]

Just a thought, if the chick is blind and you put it in a separate brooder- with an additional chick or two in there, the blind chick would maybe be able to associate the pecking noises from the others with the food. Kinda like, if it hears the pecking sounds, and figures out he/she also makes the pecking sounds when it's beak touches the floor..maybe it'll follow suit and find the food? Surely with the curiosity level chicks have, it would want to investigate the sounds? Sounds silly, I guess, but I think even in animals, if blind from birth (hatch), hearing becomes the sense most relied on.
In the meantime, holding the chick and feeding yogurt or softened starter would help it have the energy to survive at this point.