# Eye problems



## Emiliep40 (Jan 10, 2020)

So I have a weird question.... Blind chicken in one eye?!?!?

So the first two pictures is my chickens right eye looks normal the next 5 pictures are her left eye not normal. 

I have always know her to be a little bit “special” she can not fly up off the ground at all fall on her face if she gets a foot off the ramp. Has no balance not coordinated at all. Also I have always noticed her eye looking different!! Got real close to her tonight because I Introduced my two older chickens with my 4 1/2 month old chickens and she had a little scrape so I picked her up and her eyelids really not normal with a white around the very center I really might think she’s blind in that I has anyone dealt with this or seen this or can you give me any answers.


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## Emiliep40 (Jan 10, 2020)

Emiliep40 said:


> So I have a weird question.... Blind chicken in one eye?!?!?
> 
> So the first two pictures is my chickens right eye looks normal the next 5 pictures are her left eye not normal.
> 
> I have always know her to be a little bit "special" she can not fly up off the ground at all fall on her face if she gets a foot off the ramp. Has no balance not coordinated at all. Also I have always noticed her eye looking different!! Got real close to her tonight because I Introduced my two older chickens with my 4 1/2 month old chickens and she had a little scrape so I picked her up and her eyelids really not normal with a white around the very center I really might think she's blind in that I has anyone dealt with this or seen this or can you give me any answers.


Well it will not let me post a picture of her eye


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What is it telling you? We've had some issues with pics not posting.


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## Emiliep40 (Jan 10, 2020)

Says it’s spam or not allowed


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Check for a PM.


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## Emiliep40 (Jan 10, 2020)




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## Emiliep40 (Jan 10, 2020)

And now it let me. It’s so weird.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Can you post the rest of the pics you tried to post before?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You're seeing her third eyelid in that pic. She does not appear blind, the one way to know is to move your hand slowly towards her eye to see if she blinks.


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## Emiliep40 (Jan 10, 2020)




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## Emiliep40 (Jan 10, 2020)

It’s the very center of her eye is gray/blue and cloudy like a cataract.


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## Emiliep40 (Jan 10, 2020)

That's her good eye


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Do you think the one eyeball is smaller than the other one? This could be a birth defect, especially since you see some cloudiness in her eye. I see something but thought it was a reflection from something else.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I'm wondering if that eye is sunken. That could play into some of the other physical signs that something isn't right in her brain.


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## mitzy123point (Dec 21, 2018)

I had one with the cloudiness in the center from being pecked in the eye, it healed on its own. As long as she is still functioning on her own I wouldn’t be too worried


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

What do you think about her clumsiness, Mitzi?


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## LisaO (May 16, 2020)

robin416 said:


> What is it telling you? We've had some issues with pics not posting.


I couldn't post pics in my first post either. It said that you have to post three posts first to make sure its not spam. This is what the message says.
*"You need 3 posts to add links to your posts! This is used to prevent spam."*


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Links yes, it shouldn't be doing it for pics. A favorite for spammers is to make one post, put a link in the post that is selling something or contains threats to the person clicking on it.


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## LisaO (May 16, 2020)

The picture of her left eye is a bit fuzzy so it's hard to tell. It does look cloudy in the middle. It could be the third eyelid, but I think it would look more uniformly opaque. With the difficulties you are describing, it does seem possible she is blind or at least has poor vision in the left eye. I think blindness in one eye could definitely explain her problems navigating because that would cause poor depth perception and because she won't see everything. It could be permanent, either from birth or an injury. Or it could heal, as Mitzy123point said. It could also be a cataract as you mentioned. I think it looks like the area in the front corner of her left eye, the part that is whitish, is larger. But the left eye pic is blurry so it's hard to see clearly. I wonder if she has an infection in the left eye. That can cause opacity in the eye. It would help if you can get a more clear pic of her left eye. Definitely keep a close watch on her eye and if it looks like it's getting worse or seems at all inflamed, irritated or has any discharge, you should pursue treating an infection or finding out what it is. Also keep in mind that some injuries can lead to pressure in the eye which can be very painful. You would only know if this is the case if you take her to a vet. In that case, if it is permanent, it might be best to have the eye removed. If it is temporary, a vet can give you eye drops to help. If the eye looks otherwise healthy and isn't getting worse, then still keep an eye on it, but it will likely be fine. Just keep in mind that she may be more likely to fall victim to a predator or an accident, and she might have trouble eating while free ranging if she can't target items. I have a chicken with poor close vision in one eye. She does not have navigating problems and seems to see fine if its not close, but she can't pick up pieces of food in front of her. She eats fine from a bowl because she just stabs and gets a mouthful. But she has a lot of trouble eating things like grass, weeds, and treats. If she manages to get a piece but drops it, she can't pick it up again. Good luck with your girl. If it's a permanent condition and not progressing, she should be fine with accommodations to allow her to function within her limitations. She is lucky to have such an observant caring mom!


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## LisaO (May 16, 2020)

robin416 said:


> Links yes, it shouldn't be doing it for pics. A favorite for spammers is to make one post, put a link in the post that is selling something or contains threats to the person clicking on it.


Thanks for the explanation. When I wanted to attach a photo, I selected the "Image" link, and it had a box to enter the URL, so I entered it. I didn't see another way to add a photo. I would prefer to attach photos I have saved. I wanted to add a photo as an example of a breed of chicken. I could have used one I have on my computer but didn't see a way to attach it so I found one online. It would be helpful if the Image button allowed selection of a file. I see the upload file button below, but I didn't think that was for images. I tried it and it works, so thank you.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Monitor and tincture of time, until you see if there are other issues. And adequate nutrition. As LisaO stated regarding her chicken, there are some interesting facets of how chickens' eyes are wired to their brains, ie: pecking response which is an evolutionary adaptation allowing them to get the yummy worm before their brain actually registers that it is there. You can actually test this when feeding mealworms but it works better if they find a live worm. They peck it and THEN their brain responds and they have to decide what to do with it, which is why they usually run off before actually eating it. Again, hardwired from the time they are hatched. They are incredibly durable survival machines. In nature, if an organism survives for millions of years with minimal changes, it is well adapted to its established niche in the environment. Guineas are a perfect example of this.


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Please keep us posted as to her progress!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Use upload a file if you're on a computer. It's not very explanatory on why that's the one to use. That image link is pretty much useless as far as I'm concerned. You can also create a gallery, the one that looks like a piece of film. I don't care for that one either. 

My go to is the upload a file.


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## LisaO (May 16, 2020)

Emiliep40 said:


> So I have a weird question.... Blind chicken in one eye?!?!?
> 
> So the first two pictures is my chickens right eye looks normal the next 5 pictures are her left eye not normal.
> 
> I have always know her to be a little bit "special" she can not fly up off the ground at all fall on her face if she gets a foot off the ramp. Has no balance not coordinated at all. Also I have always noticed her eye looking different!! Got real close to her tonight because I Introduced my two older chickens with my 4 1/2 month old chickens and she had a little scrape so I picked her up and her eyelids really not normal with a white around the very center I really might think she's blind in that I has anyone dealt with this or seen this or can you give me any answers.


Hi there! Did you ever figure out what is wrong with her eye? I hope she is doing better, or at least not worse.


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## LisaO (May 16, 2020)

Emiliep40 said:


> So I have a weird question.... Blind chicken in one eye?!?!?
> 
> So the first two pictures is my chickens right eye looks normal the next 5 pictures are her left eye not normal.
> 
> I have always know her to be a little bit "special" she can not fly up off the ground at all fall on her face if she gets a foot off the ramp. Has no balance not coordinated at all. Also I have always noticed her eye looking different!! Got real close to her tonight because I Introduced my two older chickens with my 4 1/2 month old chickens and she had a little scrape so I picked her up and her eyelids really not normal with a white around the very center I really might think she's blind in that I has anyone dealt with this or seen this or can you give me any answers.


I just came across some information about cataracts in chickens so I thought you might be interested. Here is what it says "Cataracts- Chickens most commonly develop cataracts as a result of a viral infection related to Avian Encephalomyelitis (AE), or Marek's disease. The risk of them getting cataracts increases when fed a vitamin deficient diet or from continuous exposure to some artificial lights.

See more at: http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/eye-disorders"

Also, the information on that site about avian encephalomyelitis describes symptoms in recovered chicks that might explain her lack of coordination. Below is an excerpt. This is not the complete information so you should read the rest.

"Avian encephalomyelitis (AE), also referred to as epidemic tremor, is an infectious neurological disease caused by a picornavirus. The disease occurs worldwide in young (usually between 1-3 weeks old) chickens, pheasants, quail, and turkeys. Infected birds develop ataxia (incoordination, stumbling), which often progresses to paralysis and rapid trembling of the head and neck. It occurs most commonly in chicks purchased from backyard breeders who didn't vaccinate their breeding flocks. Chicks that recover may have ongoing coordination issues. Survivors often will develop cataracts at around 18-20 weeks of age, which present as a bluish lens opacity and impaired vision."

See more at: http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/avian-encephalomyelitis


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Wow, good information, that explains the cataract connection.


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## Overmountain1 (Jun 5, 2020)

Oh wow. That is good researching! Thanks for sharing, I love learning what to watch out for anytime. The more we know the more our flocks grow... isn't that how the saying goes?


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## Poultry Judge (Jul 15, 2020)

Thank you, please keep us posted as to progress!


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