Urgent Need

[micstrachan]

There have been other blind chickens on these forums that have survived. For one, I think her feed and water have to be in exactly the same place every day so she can find it easily. I would definitely offer a wet mash. She may not be totally blind. Perhaps her depth perception is just off if she’s blind in one eye. Is that a possibility?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

When I went down to her today to say goodbye, she was walking around with both eyes open. (We had put neosporin on her bad eye the day before at someone's recommendation) She couldn't see but was feeling around with her beak. The weird thing is both eyes look normal now, but she can't see. She ate a mashed berry mixture I gave her. She didn't drink much then. But once she figured out she could find her bowl by feeling around with her beak, she readily drank the sugar water. She's pooped a few times since feeding her. I couldn't let my husband do anything. Not sure what to do now. My husband feels she can't fend for herself if she can't see and it's not sustainable for us to keep her in the house and care for her.

Can you get some good photos of her eyes?
She may have just suffered some trauma and hopefully some sight will return given a little time.
I would be inclined to get some poultry vitamins into her. Something like Poultry Cell would be good.

 

[janicetroyer]

There have been other blind chickens on these forums that have survived. For one, I think her feed and water have to be in exactly the same place every day so she can find it easily. I would definitely offer a wet mash. She may not be totally blind. Perhaps her depth perception is just off if she’s blind in one eye. Is that a possibility?

Since she can't see, I've had to bring the food to her beak. I made a berry mash yesterday and she ate quite a bit but wouldn't eat regular food. (she's still inside in a make shift pen). She doesn't seem to drink water. She knocks it over more than anything. So this morning I make her celery juice and fed that to her. She lapped it up pretty good. This afternoon I gave her some scrambled egg blended with blue berries and water. She's eaten that. And she's eating some of her regular food now. But she won't take water on her own, even though she gets so dry she clacks her beak together. Today, (after the celery juice) was the first time I heard a cluck. It was small but it was there.

Regarding her eyes, we put neosporin on her lids the last couple of nights and they are both open now. I expected her to have only one eye once it opened, but she still has both eyes intact. They both look normal. But she definitely can't see. I can't see what happened under her comb. She freaks out if I try and I don't want to work her up. But her comb is all scratched and I can't help but think the hawk may have bitten or pierced something. Or maybe her head was knocked hard on the frozen ground. She can see shadows. I know this because if I move the board away from the opening of the closet, she moves toward the light. But she mostly sees but butting things with her beak.

She's been in the warmth a few days now. I hope she improves and will eat on her own by tomorrow. I'm shutting the heat off in the basement so I can acclimate her to colder weather and then am going to try to see how she does back with the other chickens. Of course, that's if she'll eat on her own and my husband doesn't take her out to the wood shed.

In addition to all that, I'm bathing her in prayer. I serve a God of miracles who has a way of using nature to speak to us. I'm trusting we have ears to hear.

 

[janicetroyer]

Can you get some good photos of her eyes?
She may have just suffered some trauma and hopefully some sight will return given a little time.
I would be inclined to get some poultry vitamins into her. Something like Poultry Cell would be good.

Her eyes look normal now but she can't see.

.
Since she can't see, I've had to bring the food to her beak. I made a berry mash yesterday and she ate quite a bit but wouldn't eat regular food. (she's still inside in a make shift pen). She doesn't seem to drink water. She knocks it over more than anything. So this morning I make her celery juice and fed that to her. She lapped it up pretty good. This afternoon I gave her some scrambled egg blended with blue berries and water. She's eaten that. And she's eating some of her regular food now. But she won't take water on her own, even though she gets so dry she clacks her beak together. Today, (after the celery juice) was the first time I heard a cluck. It was small but it was there.

Regarding her eyes, we put neosporin on her lids the last couple of nights and they are both open now. I expected her to have only one eye once it opened, but she still has both eyes intact. They both look normal. But she definitely can't see. I can't see what happened under her comb. She freaks out if I try and I don't want to work her up. But her comb is all scratched and I can't help but think the hawk may have bitten or pierced something. Or maybe her head was knocked hard on the frozen ground. She can see shadows. I know this because if I move the board away from the opening of the closet, she moves toward the light. But she mostly sees but butting things with her beak.

She's been in the warmth a few days now. I hope she improves and will eat on her own by tomorrow. I'm shutting the heat off in the basement so I can acclimate her to colder weather and then am going to try to see how she does back with the other chickens. Of course, that's if she'll eat on her own and my husband doesn't take her out to the wood shed.

In addition to all that, I'm bathing her in prayer. I serve a God of miracles who has a way of using nature to speak to us. I'm trusting we have ears to hear

 

[janicetroyer]

There have been other blind chickens on these forums that have survived. For one, I think her feed and water have to be in exactly the same place every day so she can find it easily. I would definitely offer a wet mash. She may not be totally blind. Perhaps her depth perception is just off if she’s blind in one eye. Is that a possibility?

Both her eyes are open now but she still is not seeing.

Since she can't see, I've had to bring the food to her beak. I made a berry mash yesterday and she ate quite a bit but wouldn't eat regular food. (she's still inside in a make shift pen). She doesn't seem to drink water. She knocks it over more than anything. So this morning I make her celery juice and fed that to her. She lapped it up pretty good. This afternoon I gave her some scrambled egg blended with blue berries and water. She's eaten that. And she's eating some of her regular food now. But she won't take water on her own, even though she gets so dry she clacks her beak together. Today, (after the celery juice) was the first time I heard a cluck. It was small but it was there.

Regarding her eyes, we put neosporin on her lids the last couple of nights and they are both open now. I expected her to have only one eye once it opened, but she still has both eyes intact. They both look normal. But she definitely can't see. I can't see what happened under her comb. She freaks out if I try and I don't want to work her up. But her comb is all scratched and I can't help but think the hawk may have bitten or pierced something. Or maybe her head was knocked hard on the frozen ground. She can see shadows. I know this because if I move the board away from the opening of the closet, she moves toward the light. But she mostly sees but butting things with her beak.

She's been in the warmth a few days now. I hope she improves and will eat on her own by tomorrow. I'm shutting the heat off in the basement so I can acclimate her to colder weather and then am going to try to see how she does back with the other chickens. Of course, that's if she'll eat on her own and my husband doesn't take her out to the wood shed.

In addition to all that, I'm bathing her in prayer. I serve a God of miracles who has a way of using nature to speak to us. I'm trusting we have ears to hear

 

[janicetroyer]

How long ago did this happen? How old is she? Do you have any pictures of her and her eye? What have you been treating her with? Can you try to get her drinking some electrolyte water or gatorade? Internal injuries sometimes occur with hawk attacks. Is she passing any droppings? I will check back in the morning, but others may offer help.

Much has changed since I first wrote.

Since she can't see, I've had to bring the food to her beak. I made a berry mash yesterday and she ate quite a bit but wouldn't eat regular food. (she's still inside in a make shift pen). She doesn't seem to drink water. She knocks it over more than anything. So this morning I make her celery juice and fed that to her. She lapped it up pretty good. This afternoon I gave her some scrambled egg blended with blue berries and water. She's eaten that. And she's eating some of her regular food now. But she won't take water on her own, even though she gets so dry she clacks her beak together. Today, (after the celery juice) was the first time I heard a cluck. It was small but it was there.

Regarding her eyes, we put neosporin on her lids the last couple of nights and they are both open now. I expected her to have only one eye once it opened, but she still has both eyes intact. They both look normal. But she definitely can't see. I can't see what happened under her comb. She freaks out if I try and I don't want to work her up. But her comb is all scratched and I can't help but think the hawk may have bitten or pierced something. Or maybe her head was knocked hard on the frozen ground. She can see shadows. I know this because if I move the board away from the opening of the closet, she moves toward the light. But she mostly sees by butting things with her beak.

She's been in the warmth a few days now. I hope she improves and will eat on her own by tomorrow. I'm shutting the heat off in the basement so I can acclimate her to colder weather and then am going to try to see how she does back with the other chickens. Of course, that's if she'll eat on her own and my husband doesn't take her out to the wood shed.

In addition to all that, I'm bathing her in prayer. I serve a God of miracles who has a way of using nature to speak to us. I'm trusting we have ears to hear

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She can see shadows. I know this because if I move the board away from the opening of the closet, she moves toward the light. But she mostly sees but butting things with her beak.

I can't see what happened under her comb. She freaks out if I try and I don't want to work her up. But her comb is all scratched and I can't help but think the hawk may have bitten or pierced something.

You can wrap/swaddle her in a towel to capture her wings so you can examine her head/comb better. If she was punctured then that may need tending. Hawks leave punctures wounds that are easily hidden under feathers.

She moves toward light. Does she have good lighting during the day where she's being kept?

It's good that she's drinking a little, it would be hard to know if she will improve over time or not.

 

[micstrachan]

I recommend gently wrapping her burrito style in a towel so you can investigate under the comb to see if there is a head injury. Have you tested her vision?

The dehydration is concerning. Would you be open to the idea of tube feeding her fluids? I personally would not necessarily shut off the heat just yet. What js the temp in there and what are outside night temps like? Perhaps turn it down gradually over the course of a few days?

 

[BReeder!]

With the vision, chickens become near sighted and one eye and far sighted in the other at a young age. It's a feature they've adapted through evolution to spot for near them and be able to spot a predator in the distance. If the near sighted eye was damaged that might explain why your chicken cannot see well even with one seemingly undamaged eye.

 

[Eggcessive]

Maybe her eyes will heal. Neopsorin can cloud the vision, so hopefully she will see better soon. I’m glad that both eyes are intact. Hopefully she will be able to survive in her familiar environment.