What are symptoms of a vision impaired chicken

[dandydoodle]

I am trying to decide if my chicken is in fact vision impaired. If you have a vision impaired chicken can you tell me what odd things you have noticed your chicken does. What are signs and symptoms I should look for?

Thanks,
Michelle

 

[FarmGirl01]

I have a Roo that can't see out of one eye. He circles around and always keeps one eye towards me. He doesn't have any other issues. He does great otherwise.

 

[dandydoodle]

thanks

Anyone else know of any symptoms you could tell me?

 

[nurse_turtle]

My house chick Annie-Belle was born with her left eye sealed shut. She eventually managed to scratch it open but she has poor vision in that eye. I notice if given a small treat like dried mealworms, rice, or shredded cheese, she will eye it with her good eye but still peck just to the side of it and miss it. I put her treats either in my hand or in her food bowl which is a small diameter of about 4".

Annie-Belle says "Hi".

 

[mybirdslovetofly]

Hi,
We have one half-blind/vision impaired chicken. We got her at about 2 wks old. The first thing I noticed right away was that she peeped very loudly and walked in circles quite a bit. We thought for a while she was just neurotic, but over time we came to realize it's a vision issue. When I throw treats out to the hens, she oftentimes misses. She'll peck just to the side of it. She misses out on a lot that way! But she always finds her food, water, and roost. She can also still spy a hawk in the sky. One other thing: she tends to sleep in because she waits for it to be quite light outside before venturing out.

 

[dandydoodle]

Yea, I am pretty sure my little ones vision is really bad. I spent allot of time with him today. I just don't know how I missed it. I just thought he wasn't smart. I am pretty sure its a vision problem though. I feel so bad for him, I can't even get him to take a treat if it is in my hand and I hold it in front of him when no one else is around. What do you think the quality of life is for a bird that can barely see? Is he happy?

 

[GreenMeadows]

We had on that had cloudy eyes and was blind and 1 that got pecked and the eye got infected and popped out. When they cry loud as a chick I check for eye tracking and cloudy eyes to make sure they can see.

 

[jak2002003]

I am sure the chicken will have a good quality of life! I have my own chicken that sounds just like yours, and she is my favourite hen in my flock

. I choose 3 white pullets form a store. One was much smaller than the others and was very tame, pecking my hand a lot and cheeping to be picked up! So I chose her. I should have though why she was so small

It became clear that she was acting strange. She was always following my so close, like I was her mother. Getting under my feet. She loved to climb onto my arm or hand and sit in my hand. All the others grew fast and reached adult size, but she grew so slowly and is still small, but very heavy!

Her eyes look perfect, clear and bright, but I think she is more or less blind. She can see big things like me, and she follows the big rooster everywhere like glue. She is the only hen never to use the roost, she can't see it. So I put her up every night.

Like yours she can not see the treats or small things on the ground or in my hand. She can see the big red feeder and shoves her head into the feed, rather than pecking at it. Also the water, she dunks her head under the water to drink, or else totally misses the top!

But I know she is very happy. All the other chickens and roosters are sweet to her. She still loves to run after me and try to climb on my foot. She never seem to bang into things and can find her way about easily.

The only sad thing is she has never had the pleasure of tasting my meal worms as she can not see them!

She is so funny as she is not frightened by anything. like to follow my dog about and peck at him when he is trying to sleep! Also she likes to stay out late in the coop and walks about, pecking and acting like a normal chicken well after dark if I am late to put her to bed.

So don't worry and enjoy! Just make sure she can get enough to eat and drink and she'll be fine.