Consolidated Kansas

I'm pretty sure one of my silkies is blind. She chirps non stop and stumbles a lot. She won't move when I reach down pick her up like the others do. I can put my hand all around her face and eyes and she doesn't even flinch. Will she be ok or should I cull her? I have been making sure she eats and drinks 2x a day by dipping her beak.
 
I have a duck that went blind and does pretty darned good now that I got rid of my extra drakes. If she is with another chick I would think she would follow her lead. If it were me, I would be probably giving her water about 10 times a day; But logically the thing to do is to just provide food and water. If she takes it willingly on her own she will make it. If you watch her and she doesn't, she will of course die in a couple days. Do you think this is from the hen picking on her or was she just born that way? If it was a birth defect I'd take her back to the store and ask for a credit or trade.
That is sad. Sorry
 
oh no, TntBlake! I'm so sorry about your little silkie! Are are her head feathers in the way right now? Maybe trim them back a bit and see if her eyes look milky or clear? I have a lot of experience with eyes in horses-- but not in chickens. Horses often get bacterial or viral infections in their eyes from blowing debris or getting poked in the eye with hay or sticks, weeds, etc. Bacterial infections will clear up pretty quickly with drops and antibiotic meds dabbed in the eyes. I always keep those meds on hand since I deal with it about once a year-- first symptom being watery eyes. However, viral infections almost ALWAYS result in blindness and are extremely difficult to treat. One of my mares had a viral infection that I fought for 6 months and at one point had nearly popped the eye out of the socket and we scheduled surgery the next morning to have it removed asap to save her life. I prayed and prayed so hard that night and the next morning, the swelling had gone down. That was about 3 months into it and now the only thing left (about 4 years later) is a small round milky spot near the back of the eye where it just partially blinded her a bit- hardly noticeable. Anyway, I'd check her eyes and see what they look like. Maybe she is stumbling for another reason?

Well, this day was crazy busy. Did get a window installed and some of the inside covered up. Then we had allergy shots to go to, piano lessons, etc... Didn't get home till 7:30. Totally worn out.
 
Wow I got behind... it has been hectic this week. I finally got my insomnia in check but they hired a contractor to upgrade the weatherization? on our apartments this week and I went job hunting for a couple hours yesterday. With my wife laid off I don't get to get on as much. I'm trying to get packed to move over to our 3br apartment in a week or so, but anyway. Danz those silkie cochin crosses sound neat, I'm glad you mandrien pen is coming along, we need to see pics
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. Ivy I can't wait to see the pics from your poultry show. And Hawkeye it looks like your coop is still coming along nicely, just hang in there and it will be great when you finnish. Well I'm sorry if I forgot anybody and I hope everyone is having a good fall. I have to go for now but will try to start keeping up better
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ETA: By Nature- I have a family freind that lives out there in Montera right by you.
 
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I think she was born this way. She is one of the chicks I got to keep the hen pecked one company in the brooder. I gave her water 5 times today but I won't be able to do that everyday for the rest of her life so she needs to learn to follow the others to find food and water. I guess I will wait and see if she manages ok. I think she will but if she doesn't than I will cull


Hawkeye- Her eyes looked normal at so I think she was probably born this way but I will look at them again in the morning when I go over to my moms just in case I missed something.
 
I sure need to get out and work today, but it is cold out there. I am not a fan of any weather below 70 degrees. I really need to get that netting up. We did finally get rain last night. I'm not sure how much but it woke me up. It doesn't look particularly wet out there though.
DH got some stain yesterday so I can stain the little shelter and the nest boxes for the Mandarins. I think this is the only project I've done, he is really enthusiastic about. He loves the Mandarins too. I plan to take some pictures of the whole set up when I am done. It seems like nothing is getting finished as I move along.
I was thinking yesterday it is time to put up the bird feeders and take down the hummingbird feeders. My chickens and ducks are eating more grain and are going out further scrounging for food. It was such a bad year here. Even the weeds failed to prosper.
I know I've self supported a huge group of wild birds that come in to steal food. I don't like them around the chicken feed, but if they are small enough to fly through the netting there's not much I can do about it.
I've got some more ducks hatching today. I really didn't intend to hatch any this time of year, but yet I have a bunch in the incubator for the next month or so. I don't like wasting eggs.
 
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Hey every one hope your all doing well. I'm in search of a Loafing/Run-in Shed for my horses. Were a bit tight on money right now and hope to find one that someone just wants it gone and will sell it to me. To have one built to fit 2 horses is around 2K so if we can find a deal for half that I'm open.. Any help from your area would be great and I will drive out and pick it up.

Thank you all.

Neil
 

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