Heterochromia? Two Different Colored Eyes?

[MasterOfAllChickens111]

I have a chicken with a case of Heterochromia. She has two different colored eyes. The left is a light grey. The right eye is a normal orange. I wanted to ask a question about Heterochromia.
If a chicken has it. Can it pass it down to its children? I have a project that I do to a group of chickens. They are called “The Royal Family” because their grandmother was my favorite chicken and I wanted her bloodline to continue as long as possible. I want to introduce a different type of chicken or condition every time to see the outcome.

 

[Amer]

View attachment 1984081 View attachment 1984085

Yep, looks like occular Mareks.

 

[HuffleClaw]

Can you upload pictures? It sounds really cool.

 

[RoostersAreAwesome]

This article is super helpful: https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/.

Edit: oops, I didn't realize @Eggcessive linked it before me.

I've researched Marek's because I suspect my own flock has it. Some general information I've learned is that it is extremely contagious because it spreads on chicken dander, so if an infected chicken is brought onto your property then there is little chance your whole flock isn't infected. If you have Marek's in your flock, you must keep a closed flock (no giving away or selling chickens). The vaccine does reduce deaths from the disease, but it does not prevent your chickens from being carriers of it and shedding the virus.
Ocular Marek's seems to be the least fatal form, however, it can still make a chicken go blind.

 

[Amer]

Sounds more like ocular Mareks. It’s a less dangerous form of Mareks that causes one or both eyes to turn grey and the pupil to become irregular. It’s fairly safe, other than possibly causing blindness, but is not hereditary.
Here is a slightly disturbing image of two eyes, one that doesn’t display it, one that does display it:

Spoiler

 

[Eggcessive]

I would agree that it looks like ocular (eye) form of Mareks disease.
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/ext...Preventing Mareks Disease in Small Flocks.pdf

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

 

[MasterOfAllChickens111]

I guess I only have 2 little chicks that are not exposed to her then.

 

[MasterOfAllChickens111]

 

[Amer]

What should I do? Is it dangerous?

It causes blindness, but in the chicken I owned that had it, she didn't appear to be affected. However, some of the young birds in my flock had to be culled for the neurological form of Mareks. Not sure if the cases were related or coincidential.

 

[MasterOfAllChickens111]

Well, she doesn’t go near any young birds. The young birds stay on the other side of the yard. So, does it cause blindness in both eyes or just one?