TinyT3
In the Brooder
I currently have a Mille Fleur D’Uccle bantam hen in my flock. I’d say, at least a few months ago (5 or so? can’t rember exactly) that I noticed that her left eye was slowly changing to this grey-amber color. She’s had it for a while now, and quite frankly, I didn’t think much of it and brushed off.
Since then, she’s hatched out seven chicks (two of which died due to injuries when they were born) and has raised the remaining five for these last few months. All chickens in the barn with this hen have been healthy. (These birds very rarely come in DIRECT contact with one another, though they are penned beside one another and the divider is wire.)
I had planned on selling her soon, as I want to downsize the flock, but figured I should at least look into this and when I saw Marek’s disease pop up I became a tad worried. But she has shown ZERO signs of declining health, and is as energetic and healthy as any broody mama hen would be. She isn’t goung blind in either eyes and the pupils dialate just as they are supposed to. The pupil in the grey eye is also the regular size for your average chicken pupil.
I have had laying hens pass away here lately (they are in a different barn, but were at one point in the same barn as this specific hen, but that was months ago.) But these are about four year old ISA brown laying hens, and these extreme egg layers usually pass away at this time. None of them died of any of the symptoms of Marek’s either.
I recently have also had another laying hen have a misshapen pupil, but she isn’t going blind, the color isn’t grey, and she’s as happy as a lark. I’m just curios as to what exactly I’m dealing with, or if I’m dealing with anything at all.
Since then, she’s hatched out seven chicks (two of which died due to injuries when they were born) and has raised the remaining five for these last few months. All chickens in the barn with this hen have been healthy. (These birds very rarely come in DIRECT contact with one another, though they are penned beside one another and the divider is wire.)
I had planned on selling her soon, as I want to downsize the flock, but figured I should at least look into this and when I saw Marek’s disease pop up I became a tad worried. But she has shown ZERO signs of declining health, and is as energetic and healthy as any broody mama hen would be. She isn’t goung blind in either eyes and the pupils dialate just as they are supposed to. The pupil in the grey eye is also the regular size for your average chicken pupil.
I have had laying hens pass away here lately (they are in a different barn, but were at one point in the same barn as this specific hen, but that was months ago.) But these are about four year old ISA brown laying hens, and these extreme egg layers usually pass away at this time. None of them died of any of the symptoms of Marek’s either.
I recently have also had another laying hen have a misshapen pupil, but she isn’t going blind, the color isn’t grey, and she’s as happy as a lark. I’m just curios as to what exactly I’m dealing with, or if I’m dealing with anything at all.
