hatchery chick without eyes

[RobinEgg]

Ok day 2 with little no eyes ....I truly had prayed God would take her last night...but he must have other plans for now.......I isolated in box in the brooder with the others, so maybe it won't feel so alone and the others can't pick on it......odd are it's a she since I ordered 12 BO pullets and 2 BO roos,...I personally still have not seen it eating....nate says he saw it.....I do know it is drinking....I added some sugar to the quick chick water....I boiled it an egg and mashed up the yolk.....ok at first I felt odd feeding an egg to a chick,lol, but got past that......with an eyedropper I have been force feeding it....it puts up quite a fight...I'm being as careful as I can not to cause it to aspirate.....so far the extra work has not been at all taxing other than I worry about hurting it's little jaws ...as it doesnt really cooperate with me....so for now I plan to just keep trying and we will see what God has in store for this little one and me....I've always rooted for the underdog anyway...Thanks to all for listening(reading).

 

[JenniferJoIN]

Keep us posted on the little chick. I wouldn't have been able to cull it either... I always pull for the underdogs... I mean, chicks.

 

[RobinEgg]

Day 3...blind chickie ate by it's self today, I held a plastice spoon up close to it's beak and it ate, more like scooping than pecking.....I know we are still far from being okay, however I'm relieved to not have to force feed it.

 

[hinkjc]

Robin, if you want any hope for the chick to learn to eat/drink on it's own, you have to show it how. I would recommend tapping at the food dish and pushing it along to come to it. Do the same for water. They have instinct to follow mama hen sounds and you could likely teach him this way. Make sure to keep things consistent and it may do well. Feed/water should stay in the same place so the little one knows where to return to to find it. Good luck.

Jody

 

[RobinEgg]

Chick holds it's little head up and back , I got it to eat from spoon by tapping spoon against it's beak and kept lowering the spoon. In it's own little brooder i keep water in the same place and food all over it's floor.

 

[NewChixMom]

I am so glad you decided not to cull it. I am such a sap about these things, but my son only has half a heart so I am inclined to root for the little guy.

 

[Cetawin]

You are doing a great job...just know that whatever happens, it is the Creator's plan, decision and you have done your part.

 

[flinthillbillie]

I'm glad you're going to try to keep her! We had a blind chicken years ago - she came from MM too and had no eye on one side and a cataract over the other one. Maybe she could see shadows, but for all intents and purposes she was legally blind! We never separated her from the flock and she was never picked on by the others. And best of all she was full of personality! I sincerely hope your little one blossoms as well!

 

[ZykloniaDark-GothikRanchr]

I wish you the best with the little one!! I have 3 roos who were all I had left from the AE fiasco, and I was afraid of them being lonely, I put my sweet baby goose, Lucy with them, and they LOVE her! She will lay down, and the 3 roos climb on her back and cuddle with her. I also have put my bunny in with them because she was alone too, and she, too loves the goose! They all cuddle at night, and get along great.

So you might try looking into another species for a friend for your chick!!

 

[LinckHillPoultry]

Is the little guy acting normal?
If so, and also since it's eating and drinking, I would isolate it with a stuffed animal.
I wouldn't put it down.

It doesn't know any better... and when I say that, it doesn't know about the gift of sight, which if it grows up healthy, its' other senses will become stronger.

So I am strong for letting it go and seeing how it does!