Chicken is going blind

[HenniferB]

My first hen is obviously blind in the affected eye. She can see things closer and gets around fine in the coop. My barred rock hen's eyes are both slightly dilated and has significant vision loss in both eyes. She can see some things. We are trying to figure out what she can see. She definitely can pick out her favorite treats from close up! She had some weight loss so I'm trying to fatten her up. She has walked upright for some time, not sure if this is from Marek's or her compensating for her poor sight. She has learned to feel with her wings, feet, and comb to get around. She's a smart girl! My daughters put a towel around her food and water dishes to stop her from knocking them over, but she feels it with her feet and then knows where her food is.

 

[Eggcessive]

The eyes look normal. It doesn’t look like ocular Mareks. What diet is she getting? Blindness in chickens can be from many different causes. Vitamin A or E deficiency, exposure as a chick to avian encephalomyelitis or epidemic tremors, cataracts, exposure to high map ammonia levels , or injuries/infections may be some of the causes. Usually if only one eye is affected, a chicken can get along okay. If both eyes are affected, they can usually see dark and light along with shadows, so many can get along in a familiar environment if they can find feeders and waterers.

 

[HenniferB]

The eyes look normal. It doesn’t look like ocular Mareks. What diet is she getting? Blindness in chickens can be from many different causes. Vitamin A or E deficiency, exposure as a chick to avian encephalomyelitis or epidemic tremors, cataracts, exposure to high map ammonia levels , or injuries/infections may be some of the causes. Usually if only one eye is affected, a chicken can get along okay. If both eyes are affected, they can usually see dark and light along with shadows, so many can get along in a familiar environment if they can find feeders and waterers.

Oops, it didn't attach the pic of my other hen. Hers looks like more typical Marek's. Seems too coincidental that I'm now realizing there symptoms started around the same time. They get an organic layer feed from local feed store and healthy scraps. I've been giving my other girl poultry cell or vitE, B complex, and selenium for a couple weeks.

 

[Eggcessive]

HenniferB, I agree the newest picture is typical of the Mareks grey eye with an irregular shaped pupil.