Blindness?

[cheraboo]

We've got this cute little banty buff brahma that is nearly three months old now. She is just the sweetest little bird we've had but she is acting kind of strange. A few days ago she would kind of just stretch her neck out a little bit and kind of tilt her head to the left and she seemed kind of jumpy. Tonight I picked her up and she twisted her head nearly totally upside down - the top of her head was under her and she was looking up toward the ceiling. She keeps twisting her neck to the left and looking sideways. There is no discharge or anything from her eyes. I will try to get a pic of her eyes, just gotta find my camera. She seems fine with the exception of the crazy neck thing she does. She is eating and drinking fine. Just a little concerned because she is my baby.

 

[cheraboo]

Ding Dong doesn't chirp like she used to. Don't know why I didn't notice that sooner. She was always my little song bird - the other birds make chicken noises but Ding Dong sings. She perched on my arm today - that's where she usually ends up. She will kind of do a sideways tip toe to inch up my arm. When she tried to turn to face the other way on my arm she gingerly stuck out her right leg a few times before attempting to move. She kind of stumbled and clumsily made the turn. When she opens her wings to try to balance it really doesn't seem to help her at all.

 

[gritsar]

I have a half blind hen and some of what you describe sounds like my girl, but not all of it.
I'm wondering if your girl has a neurological issues going on.
I don't have any help to offer, but wanted to let you know someone is reading this and hoping the best for you.

 

[feathersnuggles]

I'd pull her aside and give her some protein-rich treat (like a mashed up hard boiled egg yolk) with brewers yeast or nutritional yeast sprinkled on top. She may have some vitamin deficiency leading to neurological disorder and the nutritional yeast provides B vitamins. You may need to do this for a couple days. Also you might try putting a few drops of baby vitamins (without iron) into the water. You can use poultry vitamins, or you can purchase PolyViSol at the grocery store. Without iron.

Good luck with the little dear!

 

[theFox]

We have a white rock (her name is DB which is short for Dirty Back) that is partially blind, it looks like cataracts, with one eye affected more than the other.

She finds her way around in the coop by pecking and when she makes it to the ramp she is prone to falling off the side.

She can follow us around provided there is plenty of sunshine and we wear dark clothes.

Part of the head/neck movement you are seeing we also notice, she is trying to use the better of her two eyes to make out whats what.

The fact she has uneven sight leads to some balance issues and awkward motion.

She has no trouble eating and drinking, we also make certain that she gets her fair share of treats. She digs herself out a nest every morning and lays an egg. She is quite active and greets us by trilling.

She was being picked on by one of her white rock sisters to the point of drawing blood, the aggressive white rock (her name was Diva, because she thought she was the best and let everyone know it) is currently at freezer camp.

I know several other people with chickens that have less than perfect vision and their chickens are doing just fine.

I hope that yours does as well and that there are no other problems.