I know this is totally silly, but I have one chick with really bad beak-eye coordination. All the other chicks can pluck a single grain of rice off the ground, or peck at a tiny speck of cooked egg yolk. This chick consistently pecks about 1/2 inch too low and a little to the left of the target, over and over again. She can't get a treat out of my fingers to save her life- she pecks at the air under them instead. It is kind of comical, yet sad. She is huge, glossy feathered and very healthy, so it isn't affecting her food intake on the long term, but I was wondering if I've gone nuts, or if other people have observed "far-sighted" pullets. She couldn't hit the side of barn with her little beak. What gives? Do you think she might be blind in one eye or something? -MTchick
Slifer was like that too...couldn't catch anything unless you put it right in front of her. Yet she was plump and cantankerous...
My three week old chick does this too. She can't even get a mealworm out of my hand. I just want to know if there's a way I can fix this issue. Or what other people have done.
This is the case with my cockerel, but he is also underweight, and has been congested since I got him when he was 2 months old. The other 2 month old pullets I got at the same time, as well as my older hens have not had any issues since they came home 3 months ago. Anyone have any insight?