possibly blind?

[lds_horselover2005]

Hey everyone!

I had a little pullet that I had brought into the house because she got really thin. I had thought that maybe she was sick and couldn't compete with my other chickens. I was looking at her and watching her yesterday and I noticed a few things. She has like a white film over the black part of her eyes. Also when she eats she pecks the tray until she finds the holes to eat out of. I think she is blind, what do you all think? If she is blind do you think that she can go out with the chickens again? My mom says no because the other chickens will pick on her. What do you all think?

Thanks!

 

[gumpsgirl]

It sounds like she is blind, but what I would be wondering is how she got that way? Has she had any illness? I also would not put her back out with the others. She is going to need special care or she will die. It sounds like she's been starving because she can't find the food. Definitely keep her in.

BTW - It's good to see you on here again!

 

[Wynette]

Sounds like she's blind. You can hold her and put your had in front of her eye really quickly to see if she blinks to be sure.

I had a blind chicken once that did just fine; however, she was raised with other chicks and grew up with them, so they accepted her as she is. When she got older, she was able to find the feed and water, and sort of "felt" her way around the coop and run with hear beak.

Sadly, she became quite ill recently and I had to dispatch her. I don't know if her blindness was actually a disease that finally got the best of her (she was about 9 months old) or if it was something else or perhaps a compromised immune system. However, when she was healthy, she did just fine.

 

[lds_horselover2005]

I waved my hand in front of her and she doesn't blink. She also doesn't look up when I make noises above her box that she is in. She was fine finding food cus I would go out and watch. I am wondering if I should put her down cus I don't have time to give individual care and it is the right thing to do. I am wondering too if she got sick and it got to the point that she got blind. I hadn't noticed anything different until she got thin. I was thinking maybe when I hatch chicks again that she could go back out with the chicks. I don't know I haven't had to deal with anything like this before. Any kind of advice is appreciated.

BTW....Thanks gumpsgirl!

 

[gumpsgirl]

She would be great to put out with some chicks I would think. We have a member on here, the1much, who has a blind roo that takes care of all of his chicks! Meanwhile, you would probably really need to give her individual attention to make sure she is getting enough food to stay alive. If you don't have that time to spend on her though, then it might be best to put her down. It wouldn't be fair for her to be hungry all the time. Just my thoughts...