Newest TSC rescue.

[Dingo]

A while back I posted pics of a light brahma I rescued from TSC with an eye injury. The one reply I got said to cull him. He just went to a new home with his friends who I was told would pick on him. They got along fabulously and are now going to be free ranged.
Today we stopped in TSC and I noticed a little red pullet that had a bulging eye. They boxed her up and gave her to us. Freeda, the free chick is now in a small brooder and apparently has a deformed skull and scalp.
I think she is blind, or may see some shadows as she does pick at food if I drop it.
If she makes to to 6 weeks old I'll have her bulging eye removed by a vet. Anyone else have info for helping a nearly or completely blind chick?
ETA; Her eye is bulging cause it's out of the socket or has no socket, her eye at this point is not infected.

 

[feathers_3]

Awwwww...she's a precious little thing!! Good for you for taking care of her too!! I have never seen a chick with a bulging eye. I've seen one with backwards feet, but not a bulging eye. If it was me, I would do exactly what you said. Kinda see what happens and when you can tell more about what's going on take her to the vet.

 

[nurse_turtle]

You could shine a bright light into her eyes to check if her pupils are reactive. It could indicate if she can see. As long as her eye lid can close over the eye, I would wait on the excision. She's adorable and will probably do quite well.

 

[LeezyBeezy]

She's so cute! Can she close the eye to protect it?

 

[Dingo]

She can close both eyes. Her smaller normal sized eye is not in the proper position so her eye lids cover about half of it when it's open. I think that's why her vision is impaired on that side. She may have neurological issues as well, she sways like Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder, or it may be an indication that she's nearly blind(?). I gave her some Kaytee hand feeding formula and some water with vitamins and electrolytes. She perked up considerably after that! I think that was her first meal ever.
I'm thinking about buying her a friend to help her find the food and to talk to, she keeps waking up and peeping. What do you all think?

 

[klmclain1]

I think that's a wonderful idea! She is such a pretty baby. And you are awesome for "adopting" her!

 

[Dingo]

Thanks!
She's got quite an appetite. She's still not reacting when I tap the food cup so for now she's only getting the hand feeding formula. Once she realizes whats going on she tries her hardest to peck the spoon but she only makes the target 1/3 of the time. So I do think she's completely blind. I might try to make a wet mash out of some crumbles just to get her diet more balanced until she figures out how to eat. Getting her a friend has to wait til tomorrow, it was too late earlier, she has settled down though. I'm going to try to keep updating this post because there seems to be a lack of blind chick posts. Any input or ideas are welcome, I will not be culling her unless her outlook turns for the worst without hope for improvement.

 

[Dingo]

Freeda's still hanging in there. She's learned that when she's standing on the brick she's near the water, we're still working on food though.
She seems like she's completely blind. When she goes to drink she feels with her beak. Her friend hasn't helped her with finding food.

They do keep each other company though.
In these pics she had just eaten and gotten a drink, and somehow got the side of her head wet. And I had just medicated her bulging eye so she was sleepy.
Her bad eye, we cut the down above it cause it kept going under her lids.


Straight on, notice her wet cheek.


And her camera shy friend, an Amberlink, she's waiting for a name.

 

[Dingo]

A feeding time video.

 

[klmclain1]

She and her friend are just precious. I wonder if it would help to put her food on something flat. Like maybe put a plate with 1/2 inch full of chick starter and just let her stand in it and eat. Then over time, reduce the size of the plate as she learns....