Does my cockerel have a vision problem?

[Sally PB]

Darl, my BO cockerel, seems to have poor eye-beak coordination. When I have a treat, like a half of a grape, in my fingers, he bends his head way down to take it from the bottom. The pullets don't do that. Yesterday, I switched to a horizontal nipple waterer. He understands that's where the water is, but can't seem to understand the concept of pecking the silver peg to get the water to come out. Instead, he tries to bite the whole nipple. The girls figured it out right away. Yes, he is getting water; I saw him get some, but he also pecks the side of the nipple too. If I put the guts of a melon on the ground in the run, he seems to have a hard time picking up the seeds. He pecks next to a seed several times before he gets one. His eyes look fine, he doesn't run into anything. Maybe he's far sighted and can't see clearly up close? He's way too young to need bifocals.

 

[cavemanrich]

Here is a copy and paste from an interesting article here on BYC.

Before chicks hatch, they turn in the shell so that their right eye is next to the shell and their body covers the left eye. Once they hatch their right eye develops near-sightedness, which allows them to search for food, while the left eye develops far-sightedness, allowing them to search for predators from afar. That is why when a bird of prey flies overhead, chickens tilt their heads with their left eye up to the sky.

Your rooster may have sight only in the LEFT EYE.

Here is the link to complete article. Interesting read. You may find more answers there.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/information-on-chicken-eyesight.67301/

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

 

[Sally PB]

Thanks Cavemanrich.

I have really enjoyed your funny postings on the funny postings thread!

 

[ackie]

Here is a copy and paste from an interesting article here on BYC.

Before chicks hatch, they turn in the shell so that their right eye is next to the shell and their body covers the left eye. Once they hatch their right eye develops near-sightedness, which allows them to search for food, while the left eye develops far-sightedness, allowing them to search for predators from afar. That is why when a bird of prey flies overhead, chickens tilt their heads with their left eye up to the sky.

Your rooster may have sight only in the LEFT EYE.

Here is the link to complete article. Interesting read. You may find more answers there.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/information-on-chicken-eyesight.67301/

WISHING YOU BEST,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

oh wow, so being blind on one side would be a more significant impairment in a chicken than a human. good to know.

 

[cavemanrich]

He's way too young to need bifocals.

You are pretty smooth also