Raising a blind chick

[OneMountainAcres]

Aww, how cute! I’m glad she’s doing well. I have a hen who’s going blind, and she’s doing what you described Hershey doing as a chick, feeling the water and food, bumping into the ramp to get inside from the run, etc. She can jump onto the roost and nesting boxes perfectly well, but she’s been kept in the same place for four years. Since Hershey’s never been able to see, she probably wouldn’t be able to roost. How has she been doing?

She's doing great but she's never had a roost. She's still in a brooder situation but I do take her out to play in the grass. She recognizes my hands and sitting in them is about the closest she gotten to roosting.

 

[h2ocutiegirl]

It's taken my girl almost 2 years to be able to use her big girl roost... usually she is on a log we cut in half and wrap a blanket around so she is stable, but close to the ground so she can't get hurt... she'll learn, just takes lots of love, time and patience!!!!

 

[OneMountainAcres]

View attachment 3585626View attachment 3585627It's taken my girl almost 2 years to be able to use her big girl roost... usually she is on a log we cut in half and wrap a blanket around so she is stable, but close to the ground so she can't get hurt... she'll learn, just takes lots of love, time and patience!!!!

Aww, was she born blind or did she develope blindness?

 

[h2ocutiegirl]

Aww, was she born blind or did she develope blindness?

She was born blind

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Some of the girls from my main flock decided to come talk to Hershey while she was outside and they were trying to figure out what she was pecking at lol

 

[h2ocutiegirl]

Since of the girls from my main flock decided to come talk to Hershey while she was outside and they were trying to figure out what she was pecking at lol

View attachment 3594217View attachment 3594218View attachment 3594219View attachment 3594220

That is so awesome!!! I'm happy the girls were interested in her! That's a really good sign! Maybe one day she can run with the flock?!

 

[OneMountainAcres]

Update time! Hershey has moved from her small brooder out to my smaller coop. It's a 10 x 10 dog kennel with a raised coop and a ramp to get in. I put my silkie trio in with her since they were getting bullied in the main flock anyway. After 1 week of guiding her up and down the ramp every day, and to the food and water, she now can get up the ramp and in to the coop every day on her own and her crop is always full in the evening I do know that she can see bright light and I have a bright LED light mounted in the coop so I'm sure that helps her to find her way in every evening. I still help her down the ramp every morning just because there's the ramp, and a drop off when the door is open. I've moved her BCM sisters and a few ameraucana hens in with her too and they're all getting along, no bullying. Everyone is happy and healthy and I know Hershey is enjoying having more space