With the cold, I had to bring my smallest guys in. There were five silkies, and one EE, all around four months old. They just couldn't handle the 0 temps we had last week. When I brought them in, I noticed that the smallest silkie was sick. She was very weak and lethargic. I gave them the recommended dose of antibiotic in their water. Sadly, it was too late for her, and she passed away. The others, however, have pepped up and are doing well.
Then yesterday, I noticed the largest silkie, my little black rooster, was stumbling around like he is drunk. I got him out of their indoor pen, and he's the perfect weight for his age, so I wasn't worried about him not eating. Then I looked at his eyes. They both have completely clouded over. The poor dude is blind!
He eats fine and drinks fine. But I have to stand guard. If he scratches at his food, he gets disoriented and gets turned around. The other chickies have to dodge his wild pecks for food. He almost drowns himself going for water, because he can't see it and cannot judge the distance. He runs into the other chickies, runs into the sides of the pen, runs into feed bowls and waterers. He's really quite sad.
What could have made him go blind so suddenly? They all got a check-up from me when they came in, and all but the littlest one was cold but doing pretty well. Could it be an infection of some sort? What do I need to give him to clear it up, and can it spread to the others? There's nothing in their pen outside that could have obviously hurt him. And since they've been in almost two weeks, I doubt he would have been injured out there and me not notice it. The pen indoors is extremely safe. The other chickies don't treat him any differently, except playing dodgebeak constantly at feed time.
Unfortunately, we do not have a vet around here that will see chickens. We will in about seven years. I'm working on it as fast as I can! We haven't gotten to the part in school about chickens, LOL! And while I've had chickens most of my life, there are sometimes I'm just baffled. This is one of those times.
Please help with any suggestions!
Then yesterday, I noticed the largest silkie, my little black rooster, was stumbling around like he is drunk. I got him out of their indoor pen, and he's the perfect weight for his age, so I wasn't worried about him not eating. Then I looked at his eyes. They both have completely clouded over. The poor dude is blind!
He eats fine and drinks fine. But I have to stand guard. If he scratches at his food, he gets disoriented and gets turned around. The other chickies have to dodge his wild pecks for food. He almost drowns himself going for water, because he can't see it and cannot judge the distance. He runs into the other chickies, runs into the sides of the pen, runs into feed bowls and waterers. He's really quite sad.
What could have made him go blind so suddenly? They all got a check-up from me when they came in, and all but the littlest one was cold but doing pretty well. Could it be an infection of some sort? What do I need to give him to clear it up, and can it spread to the others? There's nothing in their pen outside that could have obviously hurt him. And since they've been in almost two weeks, I doubt he would have been injured out there and me not notice it. The pen indoors is extremely safe. The other chickies don't treat him any differently, except playing dodgebeak constantly at feed time.
Unfortunately, we do not have a vet around here that will see chickens. We will in about seven years. I'm working on it as fast as I can! We haven't gotten to the part in school about chickens, LOL! And while I've had chickens most of my life, there are sometimes I'm just baffled. This is one of those times.
Please help with any suggestions!