Hybrid Hen

[Chickens r the best!]

One of my hybrid hens has 2 different coloured eyes - is this normal?
Does anyone else's hens have this?
She has and is eating and drinking normally for the whole time we have kept her.
Thanks

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Can you post a photo of her? One photo of each eye (since they are on the side of a chicken's head).

I have never seen a chicken with 2 different colored eyes, but it could be possible since there are even weirder happenings genetically (such as chimera).

However, I am more concerned that what you are seeing may be blindness or possibly marek's.

A photo would help us discern....and it would be cool to see if it truly is two different eye colors.

LofMc

 

[Chickens r the best!]

At what age would the chickens be affected?

 

[Chickens r the best!]

(If they had Mareks)

 

[Chickens r the best!]

 

[Chickens r the best!]

She is a Speckled hen
Thanks

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Thank you for the pics.

Only you can tell up close and in person, but to me, that picture looks suspicious.

I will link Marek's information below. Ocular Marek's often creates a grey iris. The normal color of chicken eyes are gold, brown, orange, dark brown, or if albino, pink. Blue is not a normal coloring. It typically represents disease (either cancer or Marek's).

Marek's typically hits around point of lay, but can hit at any time.

Vaccinated birds can still get the tumors as the vaccine does not prevent virus transmission. The vaccines only help keep the tumors in check for certain strains.

If a bird's immune system is challenged by stress (such as coming into lay or move), the tumors can begin to overwhelm the immune system.

Depending on the type of virus strain, and I think even the bird's own immune response, tumors can grow in vital organs (producing wasting), in the nerves (producing the classic limp and leg split), in feather follicle (producing skin tumors), or in the eyes (producing discoloration of eye, typically in the iris).

So blue-eyed, grey eyed, appearing birds are suspect for Marek's.

Sorry.

I'm not a vet, so I don't know of the other conditions which might create an off colored eye like this. Some injuries could produce blindness, but that would look differently.

I'll link some photos and info on Marek's to help you diagnose your bird.

LofMc

http://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/programs/poultry/FS-1007 Recognizing and Preventing Mareks Disease in Small Flocks.pdf

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

http://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1321&context=extension_curall

 

[Chickens r the best!]

Hi, thanks for your help.
She is now 4 years old and has never had any health problems. The pupils on both her eyes are the same shape.
She has never shown any signs of limping or any other symptoms.
Thank you very much for all of your help. The links you posted were very helpful too.
Thanks, again.