Hmmm chick is blind?

[YoungHen]

Hello, I really confused about my chick. She (we think it's a she because the other has started to get a red crest and is bold but she is shy and hasn't a crest yet) is around a month - 2 months old. Her eyes started off being closed so we took her in the house and they opened more and she seemed happy. In her pen she is being pecked by the mother who is trying to get her to find her own food but she can't do it. Her right eye then became, well, the pupil is white and glassy but there is no discharge coming from it and she runs in circles not knowing what to do. We guess she is blind and tonight we heard her squealing A LOT so my mum put her back in the small ark on her own. Is it best to keep her apart from the others or not?

Also my cockrell has been on his own while the mum was sitting on the eggs and he now seems really lonely. Even though she is back with him he's turned very he has seemed very timid and he tail feathers are drooping. He will just sit there all day eating and drinking and has stopped crowing! Is he ill or something. I don't know what to do.

(Also - we don't know what breed the hen is but the male is a beligen d'uccle)

Please reply, I don't know what to do:S
Georgie x

 

[YoungHen]

does anyone know what I should do?
Also about my cockrell?

 

[YoungHen]

I now have a picture if this could help anyone tell me what is wrong




In the second picture you can see her eye is pretty bulgy
The left one is small reddish-black and beady and I thought because it was
red then that one was bad too but her dad has red eyes
Georgie x

 

[Baxter-Shamo]

Hi Young Hen,
Im no expert on stuff like this, but your not getting any other answers so Ill try my best to try and help out, First off I would keep her away from other chickens for the time being, are both eyes like this or just one? Whats the other eye look like if not? I dont think she was born blind, Its most likely an infection or something that has brought this on as the swelling suggests. Is taking her to a vet an option? If not and she cant see at all, Then to prevent suffering I would put this one down.

Edit - Also may I ask what your feeding her on? Also Im guessing your using straw as bedding, Try something else, maybe wood shavings?

 

[YoungHen]

Hey, she has straw but I do have some wood chips I can put in.
She is being feed on feathers and beaky chick crumbs and a sprinkle of corn
but I've been trying to teach her to scratch around the grass
Well she is in a chicken ark on her own and she is learning where everything is (the door, food, water, bed)
and today she had a sit in the sun then found the water by herself In my avatar picture the chick is her and her eye in that is fine
so I agree with you that it just happened but I'm going to leave her for a few weeks because she doesn't seem to be in any pain.

Also I think the swelling is because her mum was trying to coax her to doing things but was pecking her
and I think she caught her in the eye once,
thankyou for your help
Georgie xx

 

[Wishing4Wings]

Sorry Georgie, I don't have experience with the problems you are having, but wanted to give you a bit more info to help with your decisions about what to do.

First, that very swollen eye is most likely causing your chick pain. Chickens (and most birds) generally try to mask or hide any symptoms showing illness, disease, weakness, or pain. They try to act as "normal" as possible so as not to become a target for more dominant birds or predators. That she seems not to be in pain is not surprising, but I imagine the pressure in that eye is causing extreme discomfort.

Given the condition of the eye at this point, it is doubtful that she can see with it and has probably lost the use of it permanently. This does not look like something that will resolve itself easily. There are antibiotics specifically for use in the eye that may be available at your local feed store and might be worth a try.

I agree with Baxter-Shamo that you should consider the option of putting her down humanely to prevent suffering.

Hope someone has more helpful answers for you.

 

[Baxter-Shamo]

Oh yeah. Wishing4Wings me an excellent point there. Chickens do cover up actual pain, Its instinct and even if its causing no pain its most likely causing all sorts of discomfort.

However I see you have your heart set on it, So the best you can do is try changing things about and hope its an allergic reaction to something, Change the straw to wood shaving and keep the food as it is, And hope for drastic change in her health. I understand that she's able to find stuff eventually by herself but the problem is chickens need company, and occupation and without eye sight the chicken is as much as dead and is living a dreadful and boring life, That is, If shes completely blind, With one eye she should live to the full but something will NEED to be done about the swollen eye either way.
Can I also add that if she is completely blind, She will eventually get depression, stop eating and drinking and most likely pass away any ways.

Makes me feel terrible reading and writing this myself, Trust me I'd never harm an animal without a good reason but sometimes you have to be humane to be nice.

Good luck

 

[YoungHen]

OK, thanks for telling me, :'(
I've changed to wood shaving which she has never had before and I cleaned
the ark fully
Georgie xx