D'uccle Thread

[JulieNKC]

Ok, I think I have a problem. One of my mottled D'uccle chicks that just (tuesday) hatched, from mstricer eggs, that has blue eyes. I have heard that when they have blue eyes, they are blind. I'm not sure if that is the case, but, she doesn't seem to know where the food or water is, and I have been feeding her by hand.
Are there any "tests" I can do? Or anything I can do to ensure she eats and drinks regularly? Thanks!

Not a chick, but I have a call duck that hatched blind. I've just always made sure she has a friend. Her buddy calls to her and helps her find her way around. They are also in an enclosed pen with my mandarin ducks, so there is no one to bully them and everything stays in it's spot. She's thriving, with pretty much no special care from me.

 

[chickenlover25]

thats so sweet...

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Sorry about this, I hope she isn't blind. I have not had that problem with any my hatches yet. So I don't know, if it would be heredity. I shipped 14 chicks to WA and I didn't notice that in those chicks. I hope it isn't heredity. It's been a long road to get to where I am. Did you have to help that one out? I ask, because I have a blind Marans that I helped out and she can only see shadows, she gets along fine. I kept her with the same group and they taught her where the food was and one was her buddy when they moved to the big coop. She is now 8 months old and does fine, some times looks lonely, but that is when everyone left to free range and was out of her ear shot. She flies straight up into the air if something startles her on the ground. But she does fine. I never treated her different. It is really easy to catch her and sometimes I stand in front of her waving my hand back in forth to see if she can see it, but no, only shadows. This was due to humidity, I believe. Sometimes right after they are hatched they appear to have that cloudness to their eyes. But I have not hatched any blind, but will be on the out look. I don't want to sell bad birds. Thanks for the heads up.

I checked all the other chicks that hatched, and none of their eyes look like this one. I can see a clearly defined color difference between their pupil (black) and their Iris (dark brown). But this baby (I have named her Hope) Has blue eyes, and then that one whitish cloudy spot right in the middle.
I did have to help her out. She was semi shrink wrapped, so she couldn't get out. I also noticed that when she hatched, her left eye was swollen/protruding. Not the eye itself, but, more that side of her head.

Today I put my finger up her right eye and she didn't blink. Then I tried the left eye (the one that was protruded) and she didn't blink either.

I have been feeding her chick starter mixed with warm water. And giving her drops of water. I hope that will be enough.
Thanks for all your help.
And please, keep her in your prayers.

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Not a chick, but I have a call duck that hatched blind. I've just always made sure she has a friend. Her buddy calls to her and helps her find her way around. They are also in an enclosed pen with my mandarin ducks, so there is no one to bully them and everything stays in it's spot. She's thriving, with pretty much no special care from me.

Oh I am so happy to hear that.

It gives me hope. I won't give up on her.

 

[hdowden]

Oh I am so happy to hear that.

It gives me hope. I won't give up on her.

can you get a pic? is it blue or does it look fuzzyish instead...a pic would really help though

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Here's a picture I posted earlier,


Is that okay? I will try to get a close-up tomorrow.

 

[hdowden]

the coloration looks more hazy/blurry which does indacate blindness pm her/him and let them know if you haven't already. it could be an incubation problem but also something the breeder may want to look into as well

for a blue eyed chick it would look like this (google image)

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Ah. Ok. I'm guessing she is blind. Thanks for everyones help.

 

[hdowden]

Ah. Ok. I'm guessing she is blind. Thanks for everyones help.

if you can move your hand in and out from the eye and she/he doesn't react in any way i would say that could indacte blindness as well as the chick should have some sort of reaction with you doing that and if you have your hand above it and come down on top of it and it doesn't move like the rest do i would think that is another indaction. as what to do with a blind chick you can either put the time and energy into caring for her and seeing how she does or you can cull her.

 

[phoebs]

Thank you so much for the compliment~!

i love them so much!!!!