weird birth defect? Eye isn't where it should be

[lilstar]

I just hatched my first chicks! YAY! They are all about 24 hours old, give or take a few hours. There's 7. I was just looking at this one, who I should add, otherwise seems okay, and I was like, hey, why aren't you opening your eye? Closer look, and I could sorta see (I assume) an eye moving around under its skin a little bit.. but BELOW its' functioning eyelid! Freeeaky. Ever seen a chicken like that? I can try and get some pics in the morning. Other eye is fine. Will it be okay?

 

[Zinnia-Hen]

Keep an eye on it. If it's functioning like the rest, eating, drinking, running around, and not showing any signs of major distress, then I'd say it's alright. Pictures in the morning will help.

 

[lilstar]

huh.. i just went and checked again and the eye is there and fine? *shrug* for a while it just didnt feel like opening it and the slight bulge where the eye was was below the slit where the eyelid was! Bizarre. But apparently no problem, except for making me look like a fool for jumping up and going "OMG birth defect!!"? ha

 

[stormylady]

That happened with my first ever hatch, I think mine was due to not knowing how to use an incubator, temps and humidity and I didn't have egg turner either so that didn't help.

 

[Chicken-Rage]

Quote:

said kep an eye on it ........

 

[Bengalcats1]

He may have just been alittle Cockeyed??

 

[LarryPQ]

I'd pipe in here but all the REALLY good jokes have been taken.

 

[leight54]

I'm no expert, by any means, but I was noticing when my chicks close their eyes, it's the bottom lid that goes UP, instead of the top one coming down, like ours. So when your chick's eye was closed, the eyeball would be below the slit, as you described. Does this make sense?

Anyway, I'm glad he/she's ok now!

They give us such a fright sometimes, don't they. I'm just glad I'd read about the funny positions they get into while sunning, and the convulsions they go through to dust bathe before mine did it, or I'd have been terrified something was wrong!

 

[stormylady]

So glad your babies ok!! And by the way you never look like a fool for asking questions just makes us more wise huh.