We have a hen that had one eye start looking really bad, sort of blood red. We could tell she couldn't see out of it. We thought maybe she hurt it, this has been some time ago, not recently. But, her other eye has now done the same thing so now she is blind. Does anyone know what causes this? I don't know what to do for her, she can't see to eat or drink. Seems cruel to let her sit there and starve to death. My son brings her food and dabs her beak at it, but she isn't really interested in pecking at it.
Chicken eye blood red going blind? What causes this?
that is so sad
I am not sure what could be causing it, but it sounds systemic since she acts ill. Here are some possible causes:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps031
She doesn't act ill, she just acts timid and scared. We tried yogurt and put some oats in it and she ate it. She had trouble pecking and misses the container, my son kept moving it under her beak. I think she may be able to still see partially out of one eye but the other is blind and a little swollen. We found her hiding yesterday in the henhouse. My son put her in a nest and that is where she stayed all day. I think we will try putting her in a pen by herself and putting down food and water and keep showing her where it is, maybe she will get used to it.
I did some searching and found someone that has had blind chickens. It said that if you put food and water in the same place all the time they eventually get used to it and get more confident and act pretty much normal. She said that her blind chickens lived for many years. She left most of hers with the flock but she had a gentle flock, I don't think we will leave this one with the flock since there are many birds that are more aggressive and I think that is why she was hiding. Maybe we can put a gentle friend in with her.
I had a blind chick and spoke with our local university avian vet...he said the same thing. People always want to euthanize a blind chicken, but they do surprisingly well if their environment stays stable. He also said it was a good idea to have them with other chickens (at least one) since they need the company and will follow that chicken to food and water