How to deal with blind Chicken

[FriendFarm]

I have a blind chicken and I was wondering how I should care for her? Also, has anyone used a chicken "leash" before? I was hoping that I might be able to lead her around so that she get more fresh air than she does when she just stays in the coop. What kind of special care does she need?

 

[ChickyBoy417]

Well you can use a leash to walk her but you obviously can't do that 24 hours a day. Chickens need to scratch,peck and forage and due to her blindness, she cant do this well. Can she eat/drink on her own? She might be having a miserable life. If you dont have an emotional attachment to this bird, the best thing to probably do is to buy a hatchet. Does she act like the other chickens, does she cluck, scratch, peck, and play around?

 

[FriendFarm]

She has had no problem eating or drinking, she just stays in the coop a lot, which was why I thought about walking her. She is still healthy, no weight loss or anything other than the blindness. She does cluck and scratch around, just within the coop.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

My blind chicken did just fine as long as I never moved the feed or water to a different spot. She would stay in the coop like yours, I assumed to stay close to the feed/water and familiar surroundings. I would pick my special friend up and spend time with her each evening letting her peck and scratch in the grass. She got so accustomed to hanging with me, she'd run from the coop to find me as soon as she heard my voice. I loved that little chicken, so, of course she was the first to be lost to a predator (a mink got into the coop one night and did her in since she couldn't find her way to the roost). Lots of people on BYC have or have had blind chickens. Somewhere there is a special needs chicken thread, which would probably be easily found with a simple search. Good luck with your special lady!