Chick eyes

[Millylou18]

My silkie hatched out 5 chicks yesterday. This one fell out of the box and couldn't find it's way back in. I put it in and this next morning it was just sitting alone and couldn't keep up. It kept one eye closed. Later I noticed she got knocked over on her back and couldn't get up. I took her inside and after some egg yolk and water. She perked up. But her eyes have these blue/grey cataract looking things. Wondering if maybe she's blind? Any advice, or anyone ever see this before?

 

[Debbie292d]

My silkie hatched out 5 chicks yesterday. This one fell out of the box and couldn't find it's way back in. I put it in and this next morning it was just sitting alone and couldn't keep up. It kept one eye closed. Later I noticed she got knocked over on her back and couldn't get up. I took her inside and after some egg yolk and water. She perked up. But her eyes have these blue/grey cataract looking things. Wondering if maybe she's blind? Any advice, or anyone ever see this before?

You could try rinse its eyes with a saline solution and I might go as far as to put some Terramycin in its eyes just in case it's got an eye infection, but for a day-old chick, that's a long shot they'd get an infection that fast. I believe it is blind but I'd try the other things just in case. So sorry if it is. I've heard of blind chickens getting along just fine provided in a small run, not free-ranging.

 

[DarkWater1929]

Hi! I know that my reply is quite late... but, yes; I had a chick with this same sort of trouble. My free ranging Cuckoo Marans hen hatched two chicks, 5-6 years ago. When they were tiny, I would lift them up into her hutch, at the end of the day, as they were too small to jump. As time went on, one of the chicks began to be able to jump up, with mom. The other would be crouched against the leg of the hutch, waiting for me to come. Then, it became clear that the one who could jump was growing at a much faster rate. Within the first month or so, the jumper was twice the size of its sibling.

Because they free ranged, I did not watch them as closely as I would, had they lived full time in a coop. But one day I happened to watch them eating, as I scattered scratch on the ground. The larger chick was gobbling away, but the smaller one was pecking at the air, as if catching gnats. I picked him up, and examined him closely, and saw that there were blue cloudy patches in his eyes. Looked at from the side, it is clear that the clouds are inside the eyes, not on the surface.

The chick was so determined to keep up with mom, that I let him stay with her, but brought him inside every day, for hand feeding. He began to grow more quickly, and is now a good-sized rooster. He lives in the house, with us and our two dogs. Given the chance, he will follow me around, inside or out. I guess he would be considered an old rooster, now, though he has not really changed in his behavior.

He has had a very unconventional life! We spent a year, living in a tent, off grid. He learned about snow and riding on an ATV. One day he lost track of me, without my notice, and got lost in the woods. I searched and searched, but found no trace of him. Terrifying! The next morning, however, as I returned to the search, calling him, I found him behind an old wire fence that was only about ten feet long. He was pacing back and forth, unable to see his path back around it. He could clearly hear me, and was obviously distressed that he couldn't get to me. I still feel so awful for allowing him to be in that situation.

Feeding him is still a challenge. He can see movement, and contrasting colors, so, I try to place his food on surfaces that provide that contrast. Part of the trouble is that he pecks so aggressively, that if he misses the food, or his dish is empty, he seems to hurt his beak. So, he is hesitant about taking that first peck, unless I am there, stirring the food so that he can be sure it is there. Also, if his water is not completely full, he will often give up, before he lowers his head enough to find it.

Before we began our deep woods adventure, Daniel (the rooster) used to spend his days in a small pen outside. He could not free-range with the flock, as he could not defend himself from the other roosters, or see danger coming. He is, however, all rooster, and began to tear his comb and wattles up, fighting or trying to fight, with the roosters who came to harass him. I put a second barrier, outside of his pen, so that the roosters could not get close enough to touch him, but Daniel persisted in thrusting his head against the wire, which did damage almost as much. He has a really big comb, but these days, due to the scars from that time, it curls to the right.

These days we are back in the civilized world. However, we live in an area where raccoons and coyotes regularly kill our neighbors' flocks. I am not willing to risk Daniel, by housing him outside. Also, after so long being with us all the time, I think he would be confused and sad, to suddenly be alone, outside.

I know this is a very long reply, and I apologize. However, I found your initial post because I was searching for information to guide me, concerning a new problem that Daniel has. He gurgles when he crows, and seems to have phlegm in his throat. Indeed, the problem seems to be worsening even as I am writing this. Based upon what I read in other posts, I guess he has either a respiratory infection, though I don't know where he would have gotten it, unless maybe we tracked it in? Wild birds, locally, have died of salmonella, but no bird flu has been reported nearby. I don't yet know the symptoms of bird flu, but will look it up. Another thought is, could he have congestive heart failure, I wonder? I don't really know whether, at 5-6 years old, he has reached the geriatric stage. The cited life span of 5-10 years is pretty vague! Also, since I don't know what caused his cloudy eyes, I don't know whether he may have a congenital condition that might contribute to this new issue.

I know that he should see an avian vet. I would do just about anything to make that possible. However, I have neither the money, nor transportation, to take him, even were there such a vet nearby. If one is in practice anywhere within a days drive, my research has not revealed it.

The other advice given to the posters on this site with gurgling Chickens has been respiratory specific antibiotics, and/or worming medicine. I will have to research the cost, and where these things are sold nearby, but I had thought that current law prevented purchasing such things without a prescription? I am in California, but only several miles south of Oregon. I could purchase them in either state, if it were possible. I just have to find out what to buy, and if it can be had without a prescription.

I know that it is irresponsible to have animals, if I can't afford to get them needed care. I have tried, on several occasions, to find a safe home for Daniel. However, at his age, I now feel that, unless he had someone who would be his "flock-mate", as I have been, it would be too hard on him to become a regular chicken again. The moment I sit down, he is up on my foot, where he remains until I move again. So, I think he and I are stuck with one another. But, I must do something, quickly, about his condition. Any information or insight would be helpful, though I will continue my own research as well.

Sorry, again, for the long reply, and for hijacking your post! It was not my original intention.

Cheers!

By the way, I had thought to include a photo of my handsome Daniel. I guess that it is no longer possible to upload an image? It must be via link, to another site?