Help--sick, blind chick

[Jolynn191978]

Okay, I have a chick that hatched out late (day 25) who I am not sure what to do with. He seems mostly blind with his skin around his eyes turning black and swollen shut eyes. He is active but weird like will sleep then run around frantically before falling on his back and gasping. Is he contagious? What does he have? I put him with the other chicks and now I am worried.

 

[zowieyellowflame]

Hi there. i have no idea, but hugs! it is hard when a weird one hatches.

 

[Germaine_11.20]

The kindest thing to do is to cull him. I have tried and tried with sick chicks and most of them suffer terribly before they die.
Anymore, I can tell the ones who might make it versus the ones who won't.

I know it may seem cruel, but if a momma hen hatched it, it would cull it too.

Quick is good.

 

[Mrs Chickens]

Unfortuntly I think you will need to cull the chick, it is the kindest thing to do, you have to think of the life it would leed if it were to survie - so sorry

 

[MarlaKaye]

I have a chick who was not gaining weight and seemed fiesty, in a strange way.
it was several weeks later I discovered that it was blind. I brought it in from the henhouse, and fed it by hand. It began to get stronger, and now has bonded with a baby peacock. AS the peacock has grown these last few weeks, the two have been inseparable.
They have developed thier own language that I have easily diciphered.
Where are you?
I don't know what I'm doing.
I don't know what you are doing.
I don't know where I am.
I'm over here, come to me.
Stay there, I will come to you.
Papa's car is a block away.
Papa is in the driveway.
Please cuddle me.
It's time to go
Its time for bed.
I need a fresh paper
Im hungry.
Here is the food.
Here is the water.
are you ok?
Stop don't go any further, not safe.
It's ok, I'll still keep an eye on you.
etc.
She remains small, and at times hops up on the peacocks back for a ride. I forgot to tell you she is a serama, fullgrown now, she weighs 12 ounces. The peacock, or peafowl is 2 and 1/2 feet tall, and weighs..., I don't know cause we can't get her on the scales. about 15 lbs.
Our biggest problem is not how to care for a blind bird, but how to separate the two, because the peafowl will be too big to stay in the house.
WE are asking ourselves if they would be ok in the barnyard with the other chickens.
It is quite safe from predators, but I don't know if she would get trampled.
Winter is coming on too. I will let you know the rest of the story as it unfolds.
I share this, only to give you some insight. We love our darling little chick, her name is BlueBoo.
We don't know what the future holds but we have chosen to take it one day at a time.
Your chick is a differant story. I wish you well, whatever you decide.
I also should say that I have the blessing of a husband who gets attached to the chickens,, and does allow them inside.
The companion animal is the key. Our chick did not find a companion in her own group of siblings, they were competitive.... and she nearly starved to death before I realized she was blind. But the peafowl baby had no mother nor did the blind serama.......

 

[drumstick diva]

I don't think you should cull him. As to being blind maybe he has an eye infection that would clear up with medication. Could it be something like fowl pox? Even if he stayed blind, I see no reason to cull him.

I'd let things be and play it out the peacock is his buddy, what is wrong with that?

Animals accept handicaps much more readily than humans, and learn how to get around, he will too with the help of his friend. It would also help to keep feeder and waterer in the same place so he can find it on his own. As he matures he will learn to compensate to the point where people probably wouldn't know he was blind.

 

[VA from WV]

Quote:
Try hydrating with an eye dropper and hand feeding. This may well be a cull, or may die anyway, but hydration saved the life of a little girl we got 7 October, and now she's a sassy little bundle of love living in a canary cage in the livingroom. (SPOILED!)

IMO, regardless of species, dehydration is the first enemy. Electrolyte fortified water may assist. You keep giving it by eyedropper until it comes out the other end.

However, if the bird cannot eat--or you can't get them to eat--you're gonna lose.

Good luck.