Let me introduce you to our sweet blind girl <3

[Sk8inChick(en)]

What a nice story! It's nice of you to be so kind to her. I'm sure she appreciates the attention from her humans!

 

[Salo0009]

This story warmed my heart on such a cold day here in Minnesota. Thank you!

 

[Mr MKK FARMS]

So pretty!!!

 

[SonSet Farm]

Thank you everyone for checking out our sweet Big Red...and for posting on her thread

I will stop by your photos and check out your sweet chicks!

 

[pollo portero]

So nice to hear the story of Big Red! Has she been blind from hatchling age or did it come later on? I, too, have a blind hen that I bought at an auction-didn't know she was blind! "Lucy" is a sweetheart, but is not very active, unlike your hen. The other chickens seem to know her problem and tend to pick on her, so she stays in an enormous cage most of the time. Occasionally, I let her loose in the coop and lock the other hens out. I take her out and hold her sometimes, but she just stays put if she's let loose. I keep her food and water in the same place in her cage, and she knows my voice and responds. She was laying pretty blu-green eggs for about a week, but has stopped. How do you encourage Red to explore? I think Lucy is fairly young and I guess that she must have gone blind fairly recently. I am glad I didn't take other's advice to cull her and love hearing that she may be able to have a fairly normal and productive life!

 

[SonSet Farm]

So nice to hear the story of Big Red! Has she been blind from hatchling age or did it come later on? I, too, have a blind hen that I bought at an auction-didn't know she was blind! "Lucy" is a sweetheart, but is not very active, unlike your hen. The other chickens seem to know her problem and tend to pick on her, so she stays in an enormous cage most of the time. Occasionally, I let her loose in the coop and lock the other hens out. I take her out and hold her sometimes, but she just stays put if she's let loose. I keep her food and water in the same place in her cage, and she knows my voice and responds. She was laying pretty blu-green eggs for about a week, but has stopped. How do you encourage Red to explore? I think Lucy is fairly young and I guess that she must have gone blind fairly recently. I am glad I didn't take other's advice to cull her and love hearing that she may be able to have a fairly normal and productive life!

I believe Red started out fine, and I am not sure what happened to her eyes. I have to admit we laugh when she goes to peck for her food and misses =)...2nd time is a charm! OO my goodness we could never have culled her. She is our favorite, because she isn't perfect I guess lol. When things started out, we realllllllly babied her. We would carry her and guard her like a guard dog around the other chickens. We also had an area separate in the coop for her, because the other chickens picked on her. Here is where the story gets interesting, and you may like it. Someone told me we should let her be with the other at night when they are roosting, because the chickens are so calm they would leave her alone. And then just separate her during the day. So we tried it...we was scared to death the first few nights! We even kept peeking through the window with a flashlight to see how she was. They was right. The others completely ignored her all night. So in the morning, we would pick her up and carry her to the house, because she always spent the day close to us. One day I looked out and she was in the yard with the flock. Next day, same thing. To make a long story short, I don't have a clue how this happened, but she is now the dominant chicken. I mean, they don't mess with her! So she is happily part of the flock, and the fattest one of the bunch lol. She has memorized our yard and never strays, but free ranges all day. She is just a joy to watch and we lovee her to death! Sooo, you might try the night time introduction too! Let me know how Lucy does! BTW Red also lays IN the egg baskets, used the ramp, uses the water bucket...it's crazy. One day I seen blood on the feeder

and after much investigation, it was Reds comb. I wondered if she 'missed' when taking a bite. We separated her quick, till she healed and no problems since.
Thank you so much for telling me about Lucy, and let me know how she does!!

 

[pollo portero]

Oh Boy! I am excited and nervous at the same time! I love Red's story and I am going to try your suggestion tonight. Lucy already has one ally among the hens-the hen I bought her with- and , of course, my rooster loves her

and he does tend to break up skirmishes among the girls, so maybe this could work. I would love to see her with the flock! Thank you for the encouragement and I will keep you updated!

 

[SonSet Farm]

Oh Boy! I am excited and nervous at the same time! I love Red's story and I am going to try your suggestion tonight. Lucy already has one ally among the hens-the hen I bought her with- and , of course, my rooster loves her

and he does tend to break up skirmishes among the girls, so maybe this could work. I would love to see her with the flock! Thank you for the encouragement and I will keep you updated!

OOO good luck, we will be thinking about Lucy this week! Funny you say that about your rooster, because Red is our roosters favorite girl. I wonder if they know they are blind and naturally protect them, hmmmm. Red stays real close to the rooster normally. I just love chickens, people have no idea what they are missing!! Good luck !!!!

 

[Poinsettia]

I'm glad Red has a wonderful home.

Thank you for being so kind.

 

[fishnet1971]

That is such a great story about Red. It is so neat how they learn things just like a blind person would. Where stuff is, etc. I just love it. That is soooo great that you adapt to what she needs. She loves you ten times over for it!!!!!

Keep us posted on her.
How about some more photos???