"legally blind" chickens

[hikerchick]

I have seen several references in here lately about legally blind chickens. I understand that humans can be declared legally blind and it affects tax status, driver's licensing, etc. But how and why does someone get a chicken declared legally blind? This question has been driving me crazy? Who makes the declaration? A vet? And what is the advantage to having the chicken declared legally blind? Inquiring minds want to know/

 

[LoupGarou]

I know what you mean, hikerchick; I can't imagine a "legally blind" chicken. I'm sure that what people mean by the statement is that they have a purblind or nearly blind chicken, but "legally blind" was the closest terminology that sprung to mind. I've almost posted a couple of times correcting the use, but I've been taken to task for such things before, being told that "it really doesn't matter."

Both my bachelor's degree and master's degree are English/writing related, so to me it matters.

 

[hikerchick]

Language matters. But yes, I have been taken to task on sites which shall remain nameless for the same thing. >sigh<

 

[debilorrah]

You two aren't the first! Someone posted about the legally blind chicken in chat and I piped right up "How is a chicken LEGALLY blind?" Got no answers but....

 

[mrszlopez]

I, myself own two blind roosters. I dont think that anyone means literally that theyve had the chickens declared as "legally" blind. IMO it just means, the chickens are blind. Ive never gone thru the trouble of having a vet declare my roos legally blind - i know & they know, theyre blind. lol. But, i can only speak for myself. So - my answer to your question.. it doesnt make a bit of difference whether they are LEGALLY blind or just - plain blind !

 

[Buff Hooligans]

I wondered the same thing myself. Does having a chicken declared legally blind mean some sort of egg tax loophole?

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
Actually, DAHLING, legally blind people can still see shapes and color and blind is darkness.

 

[LoupGarou]

Okay, here we are back to where "words matter."

"Legally blind" does not mean that a person has had any interaction with any lawyers. Legally blind means that a person has worse than 20/200 optical acuity in either or both eyes with correction--that is, no matter what contacts or glasses you slap on them, that's all she wrote. I have 20/200 vision without correction; even without my glasses or contacts I can get around pretty well, but it would make life pretty hard to deal with it on a day in/day out basis.

"Blind" refers to a total loss of eyesight; however, the blind person might detect some real or imagined light at the edge of their field of vision. The reason so many blind people wear dark glasses (or at least one reason) is to deal with this residual light detection, which can be distracting at best.

"Visually impaired" is typically used to refer to someone who is not blind or legally blind, but who has poor vision even with correction; however, all people who are blind or legally blind are also visually impaired.

A purblind bird is visually impaired, not legally blind, since we have no way of knowing if their visual acuity exceeds 20/200 with correction.

Honestly, words really do matter.

 

[mrszlopez]

Well i guess you learn a little bit of someting new every day.. my opinion is - it doesnt make a bit of difference if you say a chicken is legally blind, or just blind. mine are BLIND. completely 100% cannot see a thing. i wasnt referring to humans being legally blind - i know that can mean a range of things (as stated above me).

 

[debilorrah]

Quote:
DO they bump into things or are their senses hightened because of the blindness? I had a blind dog that ran into everything.