Calling all Blind chicken experts!

[missmissi]

I hate thinking of what Frankie has endured already in her life. So happy to find stories like yours luvmyfowl. I hope that our kindness and compassion to the ones who need it most will spread. I pray that when people hear about our stories it will start a blaze of gentleness in their hearts, for all things small and helpless.

 

[luvmyfowl]

I love your post. Your so right about starting the blaze of gentleness. I just dont understand cruelty of some people. How ever did they evolve to be so evil. My farm is full of rescues from the dog, cats and hens. They are all wonderful, sweet beings and they give back more love and laughs that I could ever bring to them. To watch Frankie take her first dust bath or scratch in the soft soil for a big juicy worm makes me cry with joy and wonder. She also follows me around like a puppy and makes a happy little chortle. Its those things that make life worth living.

 

[missmissi]

If we do not 'speak' the same language as our four-legged and feathered friends, how is it that we are able to correctly comprehend so much of each other's communications? We speak the language of the heart, and so do they. We are 'open' to one another.

 

[NewToFarming]

You guys are awesome and so right! I wish I could take all the battery hens in with me! I am so glad you got Frankie and were able to let her have a normal chicken life! Both of my dogs are rescues and the cats were strays I took in. I have not been able to help a battery hen as of yet but would love to be able to someday. I tend to take in what other people don't want anymore.

 

[evagay]

when you all say your blind hen does fine with the rest of the flock, just what does that mean? Our blind Wyandotte is the low chicken on the pecking order. She is afraid of the other hens and they tend to take advantage of that.. they well peck at her if she is eating or if they dont like where she is on the roost.Since she stays in the hen house unless we take her out to be in the yard by her self for a bit, she will go to the top of the roost and go to the far left and hide her head. Sometimes they just leave her alone but sometimes they will peck at her and she will end up on the next roost down all by herself. Thats fine now but i worry about her staying warm in the winter if they make her sleep by herself. I just today determined that she is mostly blind. Her eyes are cloudy . the others are very clear and bright.... I had the man door open and she heard the other chickens coming in the chicken door and she fell out the man door because she couldnt tell where she was, or that she was that close to the open door. I really dont want to cull her !! our chickens are 5 and a half months old. she is terrified of the rooster because i am sure she doesnt understand what is happening when he tries to mount her. The others dont like it but have accepted him. Thinking about getting rid of him, but he does watch out for his girls... so undecided..... HELP !!!

 

[gritsar]

when you all say your blind hen does fine with the rest of the flock, just what does that mean? Our blind Wyandotte is the low chicken on the pecking order. She is afraid of the other hens and they tend to take advantage of that.. they well peck at her if she is eating or if they dont like where she is on the roost.Since she stays in the hen house unless we take her out to be in the yard by her self for a bit, she will go to the top of the roost and go to the far left and hide her head. Sometimes they just leave her alone but sometimes they will peck at her and she will end up on the next roost down all by herself. Thats fine now but i worry about her staying warm in the winter if they make her sleep by herself. I just today determined that she is mostly blind. Her eyes are cloudy . the others are very clear and bright.... I had the man door open and she heard the other chickens coming in the chicken door and she fell out the man door because she couldnt tell where she was, or that she was that close to the open door. I really dont want to cull her !! our chickens are 5 and a half months old. she is terrified of the rooster because i am sure she doesnt understand what is happening when he tries to mount her. The others dont like it but have accepted him. Thinking about getting rid of him, but he does watch out for his girls... so undecided..... HELP !!!

I wish I had some advice to offer. If they aren't accepted by the flock from an early age like my Lil' Bit was there are not a lot of options. Is there any way possible for you to separate her to her own small coop with another member of the flock that is not a bully to her?
I've had 5 special needs birds over the years - my newest one being a crossbeak cockerel - and I find they do better in one of my small coops with just a few other birds. Having said that, my oldest hen is the flock matriarch and is the undisputed boss. She is now very old and going blind. I considered moving her to my juvenile coop (she gets along well with the chicks in there), but decided she was better off staying in a coop she knows well.
If not another coop, you might think about doing what I have done in my largest coop to separate the different age chicks - a few boards and some poultry netting to make a small, special space just for her.

As far as the young rooster goes - if he is otherwise good to the girls and human friendly, I would give him some time. The testosterone in those cockerels tends to start flowing a bit ahead of the girls maturity. Once they are all mature and the pullets are laying, they will accept his matings better, even squatting for him.