Blind Chicken What Do I Do

[Uniontown Poultry]

I had a silkie roo that was blind in one eye and he got on just fine. None of the other birds bothered his blind white eye.

 

[chickenbuttsowhat]

see my mother in law was telling me if i dont move food and water that she might be find with out me having to hand feed her all the time i really hate to kill her cuz over the past 2 weeks that shes been ive grown really close to her lol so fare the other eye seems fine but her right eye is mostly glazed over im trying my best keeping her alive just seems like none of the med is helping her beat this w/e it is

but shes seems happy so fare other then the part where i clean her eyes out lol

 

[MOChickenz]

As you can see, there are differences of opinion when we get to culling.

The reason that I would cull:

Chickens are not smart enough to understand why they cannot see all of a sudden. It is probably frightening. If I had a sick bird that went blind, the bird would be culled immediately. I think my chickens are pretty cool, and I have a rooster that runs like a crazy person for the house if he hears my voice. I HATE to cull a bird, but there is no way that I would be selfish enough to let a sick animal live so I didn't have to kill it.

And I am not saying that those of you that would not cull are mean, selfish, cruel, etc. This is just how I run my flock. I expect chickens to provide eggs and entertainment. I provide food, water, secure shelter, clean bedding, free range time, and a nice clean death if they get ill.

 

[sgilreath199]

I have recently had one of my young hens go blind. I noticed she was acting kinda funny but did not know why. Our chickens are pets so culling is not really an option unless they are gravely injured. She has adjusted fairly well. The other chicken don't seem to bother her and we sit her in a large feed dish to eat so she does not end up eating peebles and dirt instead of food. We have a water container that you can get for pets that runs water through it and she knows the sound of it so she is able to find water. She is such a little sweetie! We named her Helen when we realized she could not see. I go out there every evening and put her in her nest box ( I probably don't have to do that she is smart enough to do that on her own but I enjoy cuddling with her and she seems to really enjoy it also) when I hold and pet her she does this little purring sound that is just so sweet. If I thought she was suffering I would have her put down but she seems to have adjusted fine. Not to say all chickens would in that situation but she seems to be a special girl that although blind I hope she lives a long happy life.

 

[sheherazae]

My son's Phoenix hen developed some kind of eye problem early on--probably around 8 weeks. I cannot remember. At any rate, I put neosporin on it as some websites recommended and eventually she did go blind. The eye kind of grayed over and if she were a child I would assume she could see light and dark but I don't know why. At any rate, she is the friendliest chicken we have and amazingly enough laid the first egg out of her flock of 25! She's only blind in the one eye of course. She's also the best flier. We live in an urban area and she has on occasion flown the side fence and walked up the front stairs to come in the front door. Now, if you have a laying flock, you'd probably cull her but if you have pet chickens, you can see how wonderful she might be. It just depends where you're coming from.

 

[michalin]

I also believe I have a blind chicken. I have noticed this since the beginning. She is only about 3 weeks old and I know she can see some things but when I hold out a meal worm for her she misses it every time by a half inch no matter were I move it to. She also doesn't come to me like my other 3 chicks she stands in the back ground. She is also more scared, but her eye looks fine and not cloudy so I'm not too sure what is wrong, I've been giving her extra special care and giving her treats by herself so she can actually get one without being mauled.

 

[evilcitty]

I think what to do depends on how blind they are and their personality.

A hen blind in one eye would probably adjust fine and use their good eye.
A hen with very bad vision or just a sense of light may or may not adjust. Special care is likely to be needed and if you can provide it great! If the bird is skittish and easily frightened they would have a real hard time though. A bird gone blind rather than born blind would also have a harder time, I imagine. A blind chick has only known blindness so I'd imagine it couldn't be such a shock.
A true blind bird I would really be concerned about. I would be afraid they would hurt themselves on objects without even a basic sense of where they are or what might be there. My friend had an old dog who eventually went very blind and he was put down because he would walk into things and hurt his face. He hurt his eye badly once when he couldn't see and walked into a twig sticking up in the garden.

 

[SigningChickens]

I just got a young hen and her eyes flash between blue and green. It is so strange! She can see my dog but can't get a worm. She packs all around it. When she is in the pen she turns her head and puts one eye near the ground. I noticed that she is also steps on all the baby chicks. When I come into the coop she gently pecks at my legs. She loves to be held.

 

[casportpony]

I just got a young hen and her eyes flash between blue and green. It is so strange! She can see my dog but can't get a worm. She packs all around it. When she is in the pen she turns her head and puts one eye near the ground. I noticed that she is also steps on all the baby chicks. When I come into the coop she gently pecks at my legs. She loves to be held.

She might have the ocular form of Marek's.

 

[MrsHahn]

I have a hen that went blind - the vet couldn't say why, but she is healthy otherwise (and she seems to see light and shadow). Her flock free ranges sometimes, and she can follow them by sound, though she often will stay close to the coop by herself. I keep an eye on her but she seems to do OK. She always comes right to me when I'm in the yard. When I give out dried bug treats, I let her peck right from the jar (she can't see to get them off the floor). She can find the feeder and the water and she keeps laying. She even manages to get up to the roost at night w/ the rest of them, though sometimes I'll set her up there. The vet did say that vitamin E deficiency could be the cause.