Roo is blind

[Tommy Kirby]

View attachment 1405389 My roo is totally blind happened with in two months.Started with one eye and now the next. The roo is 2yrs old and there is no coughing sneezing or respiratory infection. I thought he had a eye infection so I put terramycin on both eyes for 7 days, nothing! I'm posting some pictures. Thank you Tom View attachment 1405274

 

[Unexpected chicken lover]

Glad u joined the party, however, i am sad that it is due to such circumstances...i have no experience with eye problems but i am positive a more knowledgeable person will chime in

 

[Cheers2Ya]

I have no help for you, but I do have a hen that is completely blind. Unknown reasons. No obvious injury. First one eye, then the other some time later. The second blind eye looks completely normal. But no sight. The first eye to go blind is discolored. ANYWAY, she lives a decent life, free ranges with the other birds, though doesn't usually go as far. Hangs more by herself when they all take off, but appears content. She knows where the food and water is, so she eats and drinks fine. I check her crop frequently and she is eating. Right now I have a broody that just hatched two chicks and when they are outside, they are in half the run with a gate to lock the other birds out. I put my blind hen in with her so she doesn't always have to wonder what is going on with the majority of the flock that she can't quite keep up with.

Point being: There is no cure for her blindness, but she is otherwise healthy and I have opted to keep her around as long as she continues to seem to want to continue. She also continues to find the nest boxes to lay eggs! The biggest downside is that she can't see the rooster approaching and doesn't have the option to refuse him like the other girls. Which is eliminated when she is hanging with the broody and chicks in the divided run.

 

[micstrachan]

In that last photo, is the pupil irregularly shaped? I think that may be a sign of ocular Marek’s. My understanding of Marek’s, in case that’s what’s affecting him, is that all you can do is provide supportive care. I do hope someone else has more experience to share. Good luck and please keep us posted.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It would be hard to know the cause of the blindness, since there can be several causes. A change in eye color, pupil shape or size can be from Ocular Marek's. Chickens can also have problems from cataracts, infection, injury, Vitamin A and E deficiency and ammonia fumes.

Sometimes they can learn to get around with limited sight. The one eye that is sort of cloudy he may be able to see some light with shapes or objects, but the other one looks like it is gone.

You will want to see that he is able to get to food/water and he may also need to be housed separately so he can find his way around and not get picked on. His beak is a bit overgrown, does he seem to have trouble eating?