Poor Zoey, my "special needs" chicken cannot get into the coop !

[Jadnils]

Well the girls have been in their new digs for well over a month now and poor Zoey ( who, I believe had ha stroke or something a few month ago) cannot get either into or out of the coop. She just spins around in the doorway until she gets up the nerve and does a camacazi launch and crashed into the screen every morning. I try and catch her before launch and set her gently on the ground. Then in the evening, the others go beck up the ramp and she runs in circles fretting and peeping because she cannot get up there. I have to go save her and even put her up into the roost with the others.
Sigh......I think I need an elevator installed out there ! Think she could be taught to walk up and down the ramp? Her vision is not good and neither is her equilibrium.....poor girl....she is the sweetest thing though and I'll keep on helping her...even in the pouring rain....

 

[Indigosands]

Poor baby, is her eye actually blue or greenish like it looks in photos? Could she possibly be blind? I would probably give her a house of her own, maybe a dog house or closed kitty litter box to herself on the ground with some sort ofl path she could feel with her feet to find her way there.

 

[Achickenwrangler#1]

Can you put up a board or something to kind of funnel her to the opening? Something she can lean on to balance and not fall off? Kinda like a handicap ramp with sides? Just a thought.

 

[Jadnils]

Thanks for the ideas..I like the idea of sides on their ramp but, I don't even think she could get up that although I think it's worth a try. Perhaps if I can teach her where the end of it is and how to walk up and down it she will learn. About the eye color, I think it is a different color and I believe she has vision issues but I don't think she is totally blind, I know she can see some at least. She can see her buddies and run to them. She occasionally bumps into things or spins or looses her balance, especially when trying to fly or walk straight. She has a hard time eating and has to throw her head back to get the food to go down but , she is gaining weight so I know she's eating enough. I have to hand feed her her worms, she just can't aim well enough at them to pick one up in her beak. I feel bad for her and she is such a sweet little thing. She always comes running to me to be picked up and cuddled !

 

[bucky52]

poor baby.i have a soft spot when it comes chickens.