Chick with four eye sockets

[Lacy Duckwing]

The "real" eye (the one I have seen open that appears to have an eyeball inside) is the top one. I think the bottom one is just an opening but not certain. Same on both sides.

Are you talking about this?

It's all the one eye. The top part is the opening, the bottom part is the eyelid itself. It's missing its fuzz, which is normal.

 

[joltik]

Are you talking about this?

View attachment 3871772

It's all the one eye. The top part is the opening, the bottom part is the eyelid itself. It's missing its fuzz, which is normal.

So I do understand what you are saying, but both circled areas are openings - not just skin. I just went and looked at him again, and when I pull it open I can see shiny eyeball within both "holes". To your point, it could very well be the same eyeball. But there are two openings.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

So I do understand what you are saying, but both circled areas are openings - not just skin. I just went and looked at him again, and when I pull it open I can see shiny eyeball within both "holes". To your point, it could very well be the same eyeball. But there are two openings.

Thank you for clarifying. That is not normal then. When you opened the openings, how did the chick respond? Or did it respond at all?

 

[joltik]

Thank you for clarifying. That is not normal then. When you opened the openings, how did the chick respond? Or did it respond at all?

He was peeping and unhappy but he was also doing that before I poked at his eyeballs- he just didn't want to be held. He did not appear to be in more distress when I gently pulled on the eyelids.

His eyes are still pretty consistently closed but it seems like he can open the top ones only when his mouth is open. So far I have not seen the bottom ones open independently, only when I pull on them.

I will need an extra set of hands to get photos of the slits held open, but when I get some I will post. There is no blood or anything, just eyeball as far as I can tell.

 

[Lacy Duckwing]

He was peeping and unhappy but he was also doing that before I poked at his eyeballs- he just didn't want to be held. He did not appear to be in more distress when I gently pulled on the eyelids.

His eyes are still pretty consistently closed but it seems like he can open the top ones only when his mouth is open. So far I have not seen the bottom ones open independently, only when I pull on them.

I will need an extra set of hands to get photos of the slits held open, but when I get some I will post. There is no blood or anything, just eyeball as far as I can tell.

I'm wondering if he only has two eyes, but for whatever reason, he's got some deformity where there's more than one opening. Have you seen him eat or drink yet? Or poop? There may be more things going on as well.

 

[Smokerbill]

@joltik , how's your special chick doing?

 

[Susan Skylark]

It would be interesting to know if it is just two sockets with double eyelids (that’s what the picture looks like). If so he’ll have so much redundant eye lid tissue he’ll have issues seeing, not blind but literally in the dark. If you have an adventurous vet and don’t mind investing in this bird a little plastic surgery should fix him right up assuming nothing else is wrong, eyelids are fairly easy to repair/remodel, especially with excess tissue!

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

It would be interesting to know if it is just two sockets with double eyelids (that’s what the picture looks like). If so he’ll have so much redundant eye lid tissue he’ll have issues seeing, not blind but literally in the dark. If you have an adventurous vet and don’t mind investing in this bird a little plastic surgery should fix him right up assuming nothing else is wrong, eyelids are fairly easy to repair/remodel, especially with excess tissue!

I literally just had a chick hatch with two eyelids-- where the middle part is covering the eye. I'm not sure he's gonna make it anyway and I may have to do a mercy kill for the little dude, he's got other issues, but... Interesting nonetheless. And it's on both sides too.

 

[Chicken_tiger_catt]

I literally just had a chick hatch with two eyelids-- where the middle part is covering the eye. I'm not sure he's gonna make it anyway and I may have to do a mercy kill for the little dude, he's got other issues, but... Interesting nonetheless. And it's on both sides too.

If I was you, I would just wait. If it dies on its own, that’s expected, but if you can make simple accommodations that allow the bird to live comfortably, I would try to let it live. What exactly is wrong with the chick?

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

If I was you, I would just wait. If it dies on its own, that’s expected, but if you can make simple accommodations that allow the bird to live comfortably, I would try to let it live. What exactly is wrong with the chick?

I said may, I give everyone a fighting chance, even if I know it's useless.

(And I'm done with this part of the conversation)

Here is a pic of its eyelids