I recently discovered that one of my chicks from last spring is blind. Don't know when that happened but now she is enclosed in a pen, safe and fed. I guess my question is how do you manage handicapped birds? Do you cull them (not my first choice)? She isn't even a year old. Shall I just leave her quarantined and pamper her? I appreciate all my birds and hurt for them when they aren't 100%. TY
Livestock Blind Hen
- Thread starter Sojourner
- Start date
naturallysweet
Has No Life - Lives on TB
Probably not the best hen for free range. She'll do just fine in a chicken pen with food and water easily available. You might need to show her where they are a few times.
I knew someone who had a born blind dairy cow. She knew every inch of her stall and small pasture by feel.
I knew someone who had a born blind dairy cow. She knew every inch of her stall and small pasture by feel.
I fostered a very young, blind hen for a friend. Her eyes had been pecked. I kept her in a large dog crate, she didn't eat or drink the food and water I gave her. I realized she didn't know where it was so I held it for her until she learned to look for it. She didn't want to be outside so I kept the crate inside. Gradually her eyes healed and I sent her back to my friend. The hen could not go back in with the others so she had free range outside the pen where she could be near the others, but she was safe. She liked human company and hung around anyone working outside. She lived a good life and died of old age.
I put my hen in a stall in my mare motel. She can hear the rest of the flock and they can mill around and see her. She has food and water. Each day I take her to her food and drink area. She wanders off and hasn't figured out yet how to get back. But she's enclosed so there's only so far she can go.