Not sure how to title this one!

[shelleyd2008]

I have a chick that is about 3 days old. It evidently had some incubation trouble (by the hen, not me), and both it's eyelids are not formed right. One won't open, and the other won't close. Originally, I was thinking it was blind, but now I'm not so sure. I think it can see some from the eye that won't open. That eye is open a tiny bit, but not much. It acts like it can possibly see shadows, cause if I sweep my hand around in front of it, it will move away. Plus it keeps its head turned, like it is trying to get a full on view of something with one eye. Both its eyes keep getting like a mucous covering on them, like of you had a cold in your eye? I am thinking this is because the lids don't work properly. Anything I can do for its eyes to keep them moist?
I also have a chick that is about 2 days older than this one, in the same box. I was thinking that the older chick could 'show' the blind one how to do things. Well, it does try to. The blind one does eat, so I have been told by my dad, but I haven't seen it. But at 3 days old, I would think it would be very weak if it hadn't been eating, and it seems stronger today than it did yesterday. It has somewhat runny poo, but it is brown, not green, as I assume it would be if it were not eating.
Today, I was sitting in there watching the two chicks. The older one cheeps the whole time it is eating and drinking, like it is trying to get the other one to do it. Now the older one is crying all the time, unless someone (either myself, my DS, or my DF) is in there talking to it, like it is alone.
Can chicks tell when something is wrong? The older chick is not alone, but it acts like it is. I was thinking about putting another chick in there, that is about 2 weeks old or so, to keep the older one company, but I'm afraid it would: 1) fly out of the box; or 2) pick on the blind chick. I was thinking about culling the blind one, but it seems to be doing all right, provided the food and water bowls don't get moved. I really don't want to cull, I don't think I could handle it. Plus it is not sick, it just took 24 days to incubate. The hen had her nest hidden, and I didn't realize what a hard time she was having keeping them warm. The older chicks is also one of hers, from an egg that had been kicked out of the nest a lot. That chick hatched at the end of day 21/ beginning of day 22.

Sorry for the small book, hope someone can give me some advice!

 

[mjdtexan]

If you think the chick can sustain itself, keep an eye on it and raise it. If you think the chick cant sustain itself, you may consider putting it down. Thats just my opinion and I imagine most here will probably disagree. I am also the newbie here and there is alot more information here. I am REALLY suprised no one has offered their experiance here.

 

[jossanne]

A few years ago, my geese hatched out 9 goslings. I noticed that 3 of them had their eyes stuck shut, so I brought them into the house to brood them. The poor little things, if they were in an area that they were unfamiliar with, would just walk in circles peeping constantly. I took them outside with their family when they were a couple of days old to see how they'd do, and they were terrified because they weren't in their small brooder area.

I found a friend who was willing to care for 3 blind geese, and she took them to a veterinarian friend of hers, who told her that they had no eyeballs. My friend was able to keep them alive for 3 months maybe, and then they died, one by one. It was heartbreaking. I think it would have been easier for all concerned if I'd let my husband cull them in the beginning.

 

[DulcyDoll]

I hatched out a blind chick about 3 weeks ago. She has no eyes, at all.

It has been a hard road, but it is getting better. The first 2-3 days I was giving her Poly-vi-sol (infant vitamin drops, without iron) 2-3 drops a day. I had her separated from her 2 siblings for the first couple days as well, so I could be sure she was eating, drinking, and pooping. But she seemed to want to be with the others, and the other two would jump into her box to be with her, so after 5 days, I put her back in with the other 2. I put the food on the floor of the brooder (paper towels to cover the bottom) and would stand her in it so she would peck at the different texture. One thing that you must do, is keep everything in the same spot. You cannot switch it around like you would be able to with normal chicks, she will get lost and confused.

I just recently, like 4 days ago, decided that it was time to move her to wood chips instead of paper towels. I got a small box (about 1 inch high sides) and put it on one side of the brooder for feed, so she would ingest chips when she was eating, and raised the waterer. It took her until yesterday to figure out new things and that weird feel under her feet, but she is now moving around like she owns the place.

It will take time, and a lot of paying attention, making sure she IS ACTUALLY eating and drinking (chicks can survive off of the absorbed yolk for about 3 days before they start starving to death) I had to dip her beak at least 5 times a day to be sure she was not getting dehydrated.

Don't give up on him/her, as long as it is moving around and eating/drinking normally it has a chance.

 

[silkiechicken]

Well, the healthy one might be able to tell it's friend isn't just right and in nature, a weak link in a flock can spell danger for the whole family so to say. I guess you can try to raise it, but if it appears to not be happy, I personally would cull.

 

[Emzyyy]

I got my chicks from ideal 16 of them and 2 ended up being cross-beaked so now I have to hand feed both everday takes about an hour and half each night, until their crops r full Ive got attached to them their so sweet, ones a white silkie named Felix the other one is a silver sebright roo named Edward.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
The blind one doesn't seem to care one way or the other. I don't think it would even know if it were alone. The only time it makes any noise is when you try to pick it up. Other than that it is quiet as a mouse. It doesn't really try to move around much, just stands in one place all the time.
This chick is now almost 4 days old, and it is not getting weaker. It does not seem to be growing as well as the other, but there is still no green poo in there. Either it is not pooing, or it is getting normal ones?

I would not be able to cull using scissors. That to me is just too cruel. Someone told me to put it in a container of some sort and put it in the freezer? Said that it would get cold and fall asleep, then just die. Have you ever tried this? I know from reading other posts of yours that you are a scissors user, but just wanted to get your input.

 

[DulcyDoll]

Does that mean you are going to cull?

 

[silkiechicken]

I think scissors are the best, or any method that breaks the neck quickly. Freezing, even though the guy is small, just doesn't sound too pleasant as they'll feel the chill, get cold, and slowly die. You can't see them get cold, shiver, and "fall asleep" when they are in the freezer. Cervical dislocation with a quick decisive move is very fast and they won't even know what was coming.

 

[shelleyd2008]

Quote:
I have been wanting to ever since I noticed it was like that, but I was hoping it would just die on its own. I can't see it having a very good life, as it won't even walk around. If it had been left with the hen, it probably would not have hatched, and she would have most likely killed it herself. I will probably have to get my DF to do it. I just don't think I can.