Week Old Chick with Eye Injury

[Wyorp Rock]

Once she's better and you feel like she's able to withstand a little cleanup, that's what I would do. Dry her well with a hairdryer.

In the meantime, try lightly brushing her fluff and feathers with a soft brush like an old toothbrush, soft nailbrush, baby brush, etc. See if this helps loosen up some of the debris.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Thought I'd share a visual update!

Here's her eye today:

Here's a video:

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sweet!

 

[Aunt Angus]

I LOVE this little chicken! She's been through the wringer but isn't skittish or afraid of anything!

 

[HorseGirlAbby]

I've been following this thread ever since it started, and I'm so glad Myrtle's doing better!

 

[Aunt Angus]

I've been following this thread ever since it started, and I'm so glad Myrtle's doing better!

Gotta get her some siblings soon! She's got a mirror, but she'll need others if I'm ever going to integrate her into the big flock.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Oh, what did I go and do? Smh...

So I'm looking ahead to when Myrtle will have to go out and join the big flock. I can't integrate her on her own, right? Recipe for disaster! So I called around and found some 2 week old EEs at a feed store not too far from here.

I get them home and see that they are HUGE compared to Myrtle. And they are the same age (their shipment date was 1 day before my shipment date). I have them in a "see but don't touch" setup.

I know Polish are small, but this is crazy. She looks like a bantam next to these two.

Starting to wonder if Myrtle should just be a house chicken. Or I can rehome these two and get some day old chicks.

I don't know what to do.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If you like the new EE's then raise them up as a pair and integrate them with your flock.

Then source a Silkies or Polish that are day olds (TSC? Bantam Bin?) and introduce them to Myrtle. Her being Polish and by herself, I would have to wonder if the Large Fowl will pluck her head, seems to be a common thing. I think Silkies or similar would work.
Just make a separate small coop/space for them outside, they can lounge and be broody together

 

[Aunt Angus]

If you like the new EE's then raise them up as a pair and integrate them with your flock.

Then source a Silkies or Polish that are day olds (TSC? Bantam Bin?) and introduce them to Myrtle. Her being Polish and by herself, I would have to wonder if the Large Fowl will pluck her head, seems to be a common thing. I think Silkies or similar would work.
Just make a separate small coop/space for them outside, they can lounge and be broody together

That could work. My Silkies are part of the big flock - my only bantams, other than my rooster. They do fine, as does my Spitz, so I thought Myrtle would be ok, too. I have every size from 1 lb to a big Brahma. Those tiny Silkies aren't even at the bottom of the pecking order - my lavender Orp is - haha!

In fact, my Silkies are co-parenting the rest of Myrtle's shipment.

 

[Aunt Angus]

New concern, new question:

Myrtle us still hanging in there. She'll be done with antibiotics by Friday. There is no more swelling in her eye and I haven't seen any more goop/pus in it. She's eating. She's drinking. She's pooping.

However, she's been sitting down a lot lately. I don't know if it's boredom or if she's just not thriving. I'm upping her protein and restarting her on vitamins.

She's 2.5 weeks old now. How old will she be before she is not considered "failing to thrive" and it just considered small/stunted but otherwise ok? Does that make sense? I'm not sure how to phrase it.