Chickens with white on pupils

[huntress58]

Last week we started to notice one of our girls was having problems seeing. We would wave greens in front of her when we are feeding them to the girls and she wouldn't see it. She would just kind of stand there facing a wall. She appears to see shadows, but not very clearly.

We have separated her for now, she appears to be healthy and is eating. Her pooh seems good. When we let her out in the garden with us she just follows our voice or shadow.

Has anybody ever seen this? We don't want to put her back with the other ones until we know it is not contagious. Everyone else seems fine.

If it isn't something contagious, we plan to have her hang out with one of her sisters for a while so they can form a bond and them reintroduce her under careful watch (the rooster was picking on her).

Any other suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[ChooksinChoppers]

Dont worry if this gets moved to another section...its so you will get proper answers to your question!

 

[chicmom]

I would truly let her stay with the flock.....If her eyes don't look like they have a discharge and she doesn't seem like she has a sickness, then it's prob a genetic thing for her.......

The only thing to worry about is making sure she gets food and water and doesn't end up just standing in the corner........If you separate her from the flock, not only will she have to deal with not being able to see, she will be a blind hen being attacked because she will become a "newbie", and she surely doesn't need that kind of stress....


I know this is different, but I have some polish bantams and their crests are so huge that they can't see.....If they get too far from their flock mates, they will cry out their distress like little babies away from their mothers.....Yesterday, I noticed the polish didn't go to bed up in the coop like they normally do. I think it's because they can't see. (They may need a haircut!)

So sorry for your little blind hen......Good luck with her and keep us all posted!

Sharon

 

[huntress58]

Thanks, it makes me nervous for her keeping her away from the flock, she misses them and I don't want to make it harder on her. I separated her yesterday for the first time after the rooster was attacking her and wanted to be sure she is okay.

I will see how she is doing when I get home from work. The hubby is supposed to be hanging with her in the garden to make sure she gets out, exercises and eats today. I did give her a lot of swiss chard for the vitamin e. And will probably get some supplements this weekend. She is eating her yogurt and feed as well.

There are no discharges or anything, as you pointed out and definitely not like Marek's.

 

[dawg53]

How old is your hen? Unless it's genetic, check and see if there is debris in her eyes and flush with saline solution. Check her eyes for possible eyeworm, use a magnifying glass so you can see them. Here's what ocular marek's looks like:

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
This is exactly what I was thinking

 

[huntress58]

Thanks, I will look for eyeworm. The Marek's is on the iris, her clouding is on the pupil. So I don't think it is that.

I appreciate everyone's suggestions and taking the time to respond.

Diane

 

[Erica]

A white spot on the surface of the eye in front of the pupil can be from peck-damage (or any other sharp object). It could be scar tissue from infection or from the injury itself (if it was a bad one). Clouding of the surface of the eye is similar, it's often to do with infection after injury (and an antibiotic cream can help).

However if the pale spot is inside the eye, deep in the pupil, I feel it may be a little more ominous. Marek's eye tumours don't always show up as 'grey eye' as in the photo.

Is there any chance you could put up a photo of the eye in question? If you photograph both eyes in the same light we could probably give you a better idea of what's going on.

cheers
Erica

Edited to add clouding...

 

[dawg53]

Here's a pic of eyeworms in a chickens eye, notice the clouding. There's accompanied watering of the eye... the chicken may scratch the eye because of possible irritation too. Eyeworms can and do cause blindness. You can see them; they are white and very thin, length is about 1/4"-1/2". There is one in the front corner or the eye and one just above the persons thumbnail at the bottom of the eye.

 

[huntress58]

Thanks for the suggestions, I will try to get pictures this evening. Thinking about it, the cloudiness is not deep inside the eye and it had been suggested that it was pecking. I will have the hubby apply antibiotic to see if that will help today. The one eye looks as if it is getting a bit better. She is doing well, eating, and her pooh is still very good.