ChrisReneeB
Chirping
- Sep 19, 2020
- 16
- 82
- 66
Hello,
One of my fourteen week old hens has started to concern me lately. I'm a bit worried she may have a vision impairment due to some behaviors not observed in my other two.
I'm feeding them small amounts of cracked corn 2-3 times per day to keep them warm and Ziggy (the gal in question) doesn't go for it when I spread it on the ground but instead insists on eating directly out of my hand.
Today I was treat-training them to use a perch that I constructed for them. The other two figured it out very quickly and had no problems hopping up and accepting their treats. With Ziggy, I had to pick her up and place her on the perch. My real concern came when I went to feed her her reward of one mealworm. She couldn't seem to find and grasp it from my hand. She failed to do this three times (the other two took turns snatching her treats).
This has me worried that we might be looking at some sort of impairment with sight or coordination. Physically, her eyes look fine. No discharge or visible injuries. She also doesn't appear to be malnourished or anything.
She's seemed a little off since I brought them outside 5 or 6 weeks ago (around Halloween, however long ago). She doesn't do anything overtly concerning but while I wouldn't call her lethargic necessarily, she isn't really as spunky as the other two. She's usually the last to run up to me when I go out to check on them and I've observed her hanging out in the coop by herself, which the others don't do. This might not be worth mentioning but she does seem to drink more water than the other two, specifically first thing in the morning.
Does this sound like any condition you've heard of? Do you have any recommendations for what to look out for or anything? I appreciate your input!
One of my fourteen week old hens has started to concern me lately. I'm a bit worried she may have a vision impairment due to some behaviors not observed in my other two.
I'm feeding them small amounts of cracked corn 2-3 times per day to keep them warm and Ziggy (the gal in question) doesn't go for it when I spread it on the ground but instead insists on eating directly out of my hand.
Today I was treat-training them to use a perch that I constructed for them. The other two figured it out very quickly and had no problems hopping up and accepting their treats. With Ziggy, I had to pick her up and place her on the perch. My real concern came when I went to feed her her reward of one mealworm. She couldn't seem to find and grasp it from my hand. She failed to do this three times (the other two took turns snatching her treats).
This has me worried that we might be looking at some sort of impairment with sight or coordination. Physically, her eyes look fine. No discharge or visible injuries. She also doesn't appear to be malnourished or anything.
She's seemed a little off since I brought them outside 5 or 6 weeks ago (around Halloween, however long ago). She doesn't do anything overtly concerning but while I wouldn't call her lethargic necessarily, she isn't really as spunky as the other two. She's usually the last to run up to me when I go out to check on them and I've observed her hanging out in the coop by herself, which the others don't do. This might not be worth mentioning but she does seem to drink more water than the other two, specifically first thing in the morning.
Does this sound like any condition you've heard of? Do you have any recommendations for what to look out for or anything? I appreciate your input!