# Why has my chicken lost her sight?



## Maryschook (1 mo ago)

Hi all

My pekin bantam has recently been moulting and being lethargic. She was absolutely fine and I started noticing her feathers growing back but she started to be even more lethargic and keeping herself tucked away with her eyes closed. 
I tried hand feeding her and she seems to miss the mark- she knows the food is there but doesn't get it right without a wide tray where she can't miss. 
Her eyes look clear but she just keeps them closed 90% of the time and isn't scratching about. Very listless! 
She is eating and drinking and there are no obvious signs of an external issue so trying to figure out what is wrong and how I can help her? 
Going to try adding cod liver oil to her food but the lack of energy is most concerning. 
Any ideas would be hugely helpful as want to do my best to get her energy back (and hopefully vision too!)


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

There is an internal health problem. Without a whole lot of additional information it's hard to know what to recommend.

Have you tried making her blink by putting your fingers in front of her eyes? 

What are the living conditions? What are they normally fed? And are there other birds to keep her company?

What do you see that's different when you just stand there and watch her for a bit?


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## Sardonyx#1 (9 mo ago)

I have no good advice for you and this is a bit off topic but I have a blind hen. She's not totally blind. She can see motion especially if what is moving is a lighter color than her surroundings. When scattering grain she will jump at the movement of my hand and I've gotten a few painful bites. She can find feed if I pour it in a pile and the other chickens gather around it. She can also find it in the feeder. She's been this way since hatching and is otherwise healthy and active. Point is, your chicken sounds like she is sick and if you can figure that out and treat her successfully then even if she remains mostly blind she should be able to do okay.
You may have to use a shotgun approach if you can't diagnose the cause. I will sometimes give electrolytes, vitamins, change feed and use antibiotics, etc. when confronted with an undiagnosable illness. Not the best option but I've been reduced to that approach occasionally. I don't take my chickens to a vet as I don't consider them to be pets and a vet bill is often more than a chicken's worth. I do realize that some folks see it differently.


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## Maryschook (1 mo ago)

robin416 said:


> There is an internal health problem. Without a whole lot of additional information it's hard to know what to recommend.
> 
> Have you tried making her blink by putting your fingers in front of her eyes?
> 
> ...


She doesn't blink when you slowly put fingers near her eyes, she just keeps them mostly closed. She lives free range most of the time so can eat alot of things I don't have control of but I feed her layers pellets. Her poo seems normal and her crop is emptying without a problem. 
She lives with one other hen and they've lived happily together for 6 months without a problem. 
They go together to bed every night in a large wood coop. 
She really is just sitting around doing nothing which is not like her usual self and has her eyes closed most of the time. 
This has happened since she started growing her feathers back after her first moulting and she was broody before that and had a bad mite infection but cleared that up without a problem and haven't had an issue since. That would be about 3 months ago now ..
Her eating and drinking looks really normal which is a relief!


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## Maryschook (1 mo ago)

Currently she is now isolated, I have doing a new course of worming treating, apple cider vinegar in the water and cods liver oil to boost her vitamin A levels as have read it might be a deficiency!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Don't isolate her. That adds to her stress of not feeling well. 

Up her protein. Mealworms, dry cat food. That will help in the feather regrowth. 

And like @Sardonyx#1 mentioned, the last option is a broad spectrum antibiotic. 

Don't move their food or water. She'll adapt as long as the location is static.


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## Maryschook (1 mo ago)

Thanks so much! This is really helpful. I am putting her back as mainly separated her to check her eating/drinking/poo habits for a day. 
I will up her protein and go heavy on vitamins and see whether she looks any better in a few days. Reluctant to go down antibiotics route just because have had issues with that in the past but will be my last resort. 
Really appreciate the advice as felt lost as to what to try or if I had missed something obvious!


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## Maryschook (1 mo ago)

My update is that I think she has hazy patches on her eyes... does this look like cataracts or anything else you've ever seen? Small faded grey on both her eyes.... she seems perkier today and eating and drinking well. The bit on her pupil isn't a reflection.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Are you having issues posting pics? Sometimes the system can be confusing.

If you're on a computer you can just drag a photo from your photo album and dump it in your post. Phones are bit different.

That's a positive that she's eating and drinking better. 

The thought hit me, I'm wondering about Mareks. It can affect eyesight. Watch your other birds to see if you see other symptoms.


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## Maryschook (1 mo ago)

This is the image of her eye and the possible cloudy spot!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

I can just barely see it. I think. Good pic but it would be hard without seeing it in real time.

Just watch to see if it becomes more pronounced or spreads. I don't think there's much you can do about it.


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## Maryschook (1 mo ago)

Thanks, appreciate that!


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## Maryschook (1 mo ago)

In conclusion, her eyesight has improved. Fully dewormed. Upped protein with mealworm, cod liver oil supplement in food for vitamins and apple cider vinegar in water. 
Scatter gun approach but it is working! 
Perkier, runs to us for food again and pecks with accuracy! Not perfect but definitely improved. Thanks to all for tips and support!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The majority of the time it's all we have. Everything you did wouldn't mask something more serious so you did really well. 

Glad to read she is doing so much better.


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