ChickyChickyParmParm
In the Brooder
- Aug 11, 2020
- 4
- 34
- 28
Hi all, I'm new to chickens. I'm in central Jersey and have 5 pullets (2 Easter eggers, 2 buff orpingtons, and 1 Delaware). They're about 6 weeks old now.
From basically day 1, one of the Easter Eggers, Anya, was picked on. She appeared to have gotten her eyes pecked at. I took her to a vet and she was on eye drops for 10 days. She started to look better for a few days, then much worse (was concerned about Marens), then finally better. She was isolated from about 2 weeks or so, when I was concerned she had something more serious than the eye injury. (previous to that she had been separated with one orpington who was fine with her).
For the last few weeks she's been doing great, except that she's smaller than everyone else and she appears to be completely blind. She'd been living inside in her brooder, but she was clearly lonely and it made me sad. Her sisters have been out 24/7 for a couple weeks.
The last few days I had Anya out in the run with them with a mesh barrier and that went great. Today I put them together and it hasn't gone horribly, but it's not great. One in particular charges and pecks her, but only if she thinks Anya is near the food, I think. I put two feeders and two waterers in there. Anya has gotten progressively more panicky as the day goes on and yells if a bird comes close, then runs in circles because she doesn't know where to go.
I'm pretty sure the answer here is to let them work it out because pecking order is a natural thing, as long as they don't seriously injure her. So I guess I'm looking for someone to confirm that! And if anyone has had experience integrating a blind or otherwise disabled bird back into a flock, I would love to hear about it. I've gotten pretty attached to her and I don't want her to suffer. Thank you!
From basically day 1, one of the Easter Eggers, Anya, was picked on. She appeared to have gotten her eyes pecked at. I took her to a vet and she was on eye drops for 10 days. She started to look better for a few days, then much worse (was concerned about Marens), then finally better. She was isolated from about 2 weeks or so, when I was concerned she had something more serious than the eye injury. (previous to that she had been separated with one orpington who was fine with her).
For the last few weeks she's been doing great, except that she's smaller than everyone else and she appears to be completely blind. She'd been living inside in her brooder, but she was clearly lonely and it made me sad. Her sisters have been out 24/7 for a couple weeks.
The last few days I had Anya out in the run with them with a mesh barrier and that went great. Today I put them together and it hasn't gone horribly, but it's not great. One in particular charges and pecks her, but only if she thinks Anya is near the food, I think. I put two feeders and two waterers in there. Anya has gotten progressively more panicky as the day goes on and yells if a bird comes close, then runs in circles because she doesn't know where to go.
I'm pretty sure the answer here is to let them work it out because pecking order is a natural thing, as long as they don't seriously injure her. So I guess I'm looking for someone to confirm that! And if anyone has had experience integrating a blind or otherwise disabled bird back into a flock, I would love to hear about it. I've gotten pretty attached to her and I don't want her to suffer. Thank you!
Glad you joined.
