HEN CANT SEE!

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bellaSTAR

bellaSTAR

In the Brooder
5 Years
Joined
Mar 20, 2014
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Location
Winston-Salem, North Carolina
We have a small backyard flock of 3 hens & 1 rooster. This afternoon I went to check, feed & water my flock when I noticed my oldest road island RED named Ms Priss's eyes were closed & she was walking into things. I was giving them scrap fruit & veggies & she normally is not shy about getting Her share. My flock is a very happy flock & get along very well...they don't bother each other very much at all. She is 2 years old & is the only 1 left of my original 3 hens of the same breed. I noticed her face had some dried blood on it. Maybe from her own claws scratching her head? She is not puffed up & was certainly trying to eat but couldn't quite get to the correct spot. I did notice she was a little nervous being that her foot when lifted was trembling. If anyone knows of what I should do to help her, PLEASE respond. Can she survive being blind? Could this be a infection of some sort? Should I desperate her? Thank you for any kind of thought- in desperate! I love my chickens & do not want to loose her :( please help
 
Hello :frow and Welcome To BYC! Sorry about Ms Priss not feeling well. Try posting on the Emergencies forum about her https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures Post pictures of her head and eyes etc if you can. I would separate her for now until you figure out what is going on if you think she can't see or might be sick, you don't want the other birds picking on her or her getting into something because she can't see. Give her a really thorough exam and check her head and face over really carefully to see if you can find any wounds or where that blood was coming from... check the other hens over also in case she got into a fight or something.
 
Blind birds can survive with extra care -confined to a safe enclosed area so she won't be a victim of predators she cannot see, feed & water pans kept in the same spot so she can recall where to find them- away from flock members who might attack her.
 
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I would definitely post this in the emergency section here on BYC. But for now, get her under a heat lamp. Injured birds go into shock easily and they get very cold. The shock can kill them faster than the injury. Keep her quiet and warm. As Drumstick Diva has said, they have incredible abilities to heal and even completely blind birds, with the proper understanding on how to take care of them, can survive and live a good life.

Welcome to BYC and I hope your girl is ok.
hugs.gif
 
Thank you everyone for your help, concern & ideas! I will try the link for emergencies & maybe I can get some more helpful thoughts... I will also try to post pictures. I did try to check her as best as I could yesterday to see where the blood came from but being that she was so frightened, she was extra wiggly. Today, after work at about 11am, I went to check on her & she had some how made it up to the sleeping roost/shelf last night & was still up there by herself. I had to pick her up & bring her down. The rest of the flock is not pecking at her (as she is top hen & respected) & the rooster comes to her rescue every time she makes a noise.. he is a good protector :) I have tried to make their coop clean & clear of any obstacles to help her & the water is in the same place as it has been but we recently changed the feeding container to a hanging 1 & it is inside the coop, because we noticed some borrow holes out in the pen/yard part of the coop. (& the amount of food that was being eaten was amazing!) Hopefully she had time to get used to it. I would prefer not to separate her if at all possible due to the trauma she's already feeling. All else looks fine on her which is why this is strange... it is warm here in North Carolina btw & today she did not lay 4 the 1st time..obviously a reaction of stress. Thank you all again so so very much!
 
Kelsie x2, please give us an update on how she is doing and what you find out about her. Hope she heals quickly.
 
Hi- yes she us doing great now! Her eyes slowly started opening after a few days, & she was very happy! (So was I!) They stayed slightly swollen a we more days but we're back to normal mid last week. STILL have NO earthly idea what happened to cause that but sure am glad she is better! Thank you checking up on her :+)
Have a beautiful day!
 

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