Eyes not open?

[blueferral]

So we picked up our new chicks at the PO today. Everything looks good. Placed them in the brooder. They were running around doing chick things. I noticed one of them tripping and getting knocked over by the other chicks.

On closer inspection it appears her eyes have not opened. I can feel the globe behind her eyelids. They are sealed shut. I placed a few drops of water to see if they would loosen. No luck. The water beads off like turtle wax.

She is pecking the ground, but cant find her way to the feeder or the water. I have placed some crumbles around her and she ate them. I placed her by the water, dipped her beak. She drank.

Has anyone had a chick who's eyes were late opening or did not open?

If so did you cull, or keep them alive by hand feeding?

Did they eventually open, if so how long did it take?

Thank you for any information.

 

[LaynaDon95]

Oh no. I'm sorry.
I have one with one eye that looks like he can't get it all the way opened. There was some goo and feathery fluff stuck over it. I had to wipe it off and he can blink and everything, he just can't fully open his eye.

I hope your little guy is ok. I'm not sure on this one. I would say I would cull, but I have one that can't walk right now that I'm dropper feeding so that might not be an honest answer... However, it sounds like he's not fully developed and his eyes might not ever open... Some blind chickens can live, some can't. If you always put the feeder/waterer in the same place and teach him where they are he might be ok. It depends. :\
Get better soon Chicky Chick!

 

[blueferral]

I looked fairly closely at the eyes. They do not appear infected. If it were infected I would think it wouldn't be bilateral. I've finally waded through some search filters. Most of the people had older birds with an infection. I think ill try some petroleum jelly.

 

[tweetysvoice]

I have read several threads on blind chicks... do a search for that and it might give you some ideas as well. Sorry to hear about the chicky and hope everything turns out ok!

 

[blueferral]

I did the search came up with like 10,000 hits. Narrowed it down a bit by going to the emergencies forum. I tried petroleum jelly, she hated that. Stood there and tried to scratch it off. So I used a moist cotton swab to remove the jelly. Then just kept moistening the eye lids. One of them has opened. She is now walking in circles

. The eye that hasn't opened is protruding a bit further out than the others. I could not see the protrusion until I moistened the feathers around the eye.

So I do not know if it is a tumor, infection, congenital defect or zombies...

Hopefully she will be able to find the food and water now. She is just not as active as the other chicks. She is a bit wobbly on her feet. Not sure if its dehydration or something else. Guess Its a wait and see situation.

 

[LaynaDon95]

I did the search came up with like 10,000 hits. Narrowed it down a bit by going to the emergencies forum. I tried petroleum jelly, she hated that. Stood there and tried to scratch it off. So I used a moist cotton swab to remove the jelly. Then just kept moistening the eye lids. One of them has opened. She is now walking in circles

. The eye that hasn't opened is protruding a bit further out than the others. I could not see the protrusion until I moistened the feathers around the eye.

So I do not know if it is a tumor, infection, congenital defect or zombies...

Hopefully she will be able to find the food and water now. She is just not as active as the other chicks. She is a bit wobbly on her feet. Not sure if its dehydration or something else. Guess Its a wait and see situation.

I'm glad at least one eye has opened. As far as the other eye, I'm going with zombies.

But in all seriousness I sincerely hope her other eye opens healthily. I hate waiting and seeing. I have one of those right now and I don't think he's gonna make it. I hope yours turns out well.

 

[blueferral]

Thanks LaynaDon95 and tweetsyvoice for your good wishes. Fingers crossed here.

 

[Queen of the chickens]

I had one I received a couple of weeks ago whose eyes wouldn't open. I noticed it was acting weak and wobbly. Upon inspection, I see the eyes were closed. I could pull them open, but they wouldn't stay that way. I thought maybe it was some sort of birth defect. I put it back with the others, and it died that night. I hope yours is something different. Sounds like it has more of a "will to live" than mine.

 

[RollinWithTheStones]

Hopefully your chick does okay, have you thought about contacting the hatchery and letting them know? Did you inspect all the others just to make sure they were okay?

 

[blueferral]

All the other chicks have open eyes and appear to be healthy. The closed eye chick is back to two closed eyes. I'll give the hatchery a call today.