Just Blue Eyes... or Marek's?

[Snakebiteholloway]

These are the two best ones.
Both eyes are exactly the same, but getting the left side was not possible. She's not cooperating, lol

View attachment 3077417

In the pic they do look rather grey, but they are actually a vivid blue

 

[Snakebiteholloway]

Pics. I think i put them on the wrong post an hour ago.

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is this little chick? It is my understanding that ocular Mareks disease never occurs before 5 or 6 weeks of age, and usually much later. If she is younger than 6 weeks, I would think this is a birth defect, but not a coloboma. Do the other chicks have pupils as large in the same light?

 

[ChickNanny13]

 

[Snakebiteholloway]

How old is this little chick? It is my understanding that ocular Mareks disease never occurs before 5 or 6 weeks of age, and usually much later. If she is younger than 6 weeks, I would think this is a birth defect, but not a coloboma. Do the other chicks have pupils as large in the same light?

She's only a couple days old when i bought her, maybe 5 or six days now. I looked up the colobama. It doesn't look like that either. I looked up Marek's eye pics, it doesn't look like that either.
But i also can't imagine there's any blue eyed exotics running around northern Maine.
The other chicks aren't from the same hatching i don't think. They each look very different.
They are all about the same age, i bought all 4 Easter eggers and 2 Americauna pullets at the same time.

The other chicks have normal pupil size in the same light, and normal colors.

I have no brooder yet, i buy my chicks at tractor supply until then.
I do want to start breeding my own. I usually only go for heritage breeds, but i have only 40, and a little extra space, so i thought I'd switch it up some to give the kids some colored eggs.
(I'm an empty nester myself - but i don't eat chicken or eggs so give them all away. There's a lot of little kids in the Family that takes them)
I don't know if this breeder TSC is now using vaccinates against Marek's on day one or not.
I'll be calling today to find out.
I hope it's not something like that.
If so all the chicks in that tank are potentially doomed - including the six beauties i bought and my two baby JG pullets!
Fingers crossed.

 

[Amer]

I know this is an old thread, but I want to point out for future reference that the chickens pictured didn't have Marek's disease. Chick eyes start out a very dark blue, then lighten to a lighter blue before changing to a green or light yellow before changing to their adult color. This is normal for that age.

 

[Jayteetee]

I know this is an old thread, but I want to point out for future reference that the chickens pictured didn't have Marek's disease. Chick eyes start out a very dark blue, then lighten to a lighter blue before changing to a green or light yellow before changing to their adult color. This is normal for that age.

Thank you for posting this! I’ve been so worried because I’ve just brought home a chick with blue eyes and inteoduced her to our existing flock! Felt sick in my tummy