Is This Chick Blind?

[lovezebs]

Babs

Still alive and kicking.

[ann]

lovezebs

How is the little guy doing today?

[lovezebs]

ann

Porky is doing as well as can be expected.

I watched as both his sibling and him were fed this morning, and later watched them preening themselves quite energetically.

Porky, is growing, but at a much slower growth rate than a normal Zebra chick. His sibling, is already fully feathered and sporting a black tear mark on it's cutsie grey face, but then again his sib hatched several days before Porky made an appearance.

The eye situation, is still very much the same, and a growing concern as to what will happen once everyone stops feeding him. If he had at least some limited vision, he could navigate around a small cage, but if completely blind, it's going to be very challanging both for him and for me.... sigh.

[lovezebs]

....

[Sheather]

Can you put him with only the society parents?

[lovezebs]

Sheather

I don't think seperating him from his own parents is a good idea at this time.

Between his parents and a bunch of socies, he's being well cared for now, but I wonder for how long. Once everyone decides he's old enough to manage on his own, that's when I see problems cropping up.

[Sheather]

The zebras have badly plucked him though?

[lovezebs]

Sheather

I'm not sure who is doing (done) the plucking, seeing as everyone likes to sit with him, on him, beside him....

If I start moving things around at this stage, I'm really worried that they'll stop feeding him and this would be really bad for this little guy.

[Babs _Owner]

lovezebs

Zebras and that plucking Kid looks good as far as size and crop.

Hoping they take him through weaniing.

[lovezebs]

Babs

Small for his age, poor little thing.
I think they will take him through weaning, but the what?

[w.l.]

Some cripples are just not meant to survive.
Even healthy fledgelings take a while to learn to eat, I wonder how a blind one would manage?
And as you say, it is not just blind, but poorly developed overall.
I know I won't be popular saying so, but I'd put this chick down.

[lovezebs]

w.l.

I know that it might seem like a kindness, but I can't do it.

I am the kind of person who sidesteps ants on the sidewalk, so killing this baby is not something I can do. He is a little fighter, so deserves a chance at life.

I will do what I can to help him, as long as he's willing to fight.

[Babs _Owner]

lovezebs

If he's like my blind boy, he will learn to eat and drink by sound (listening to where mom and dad eat and drink). Place the food and water on the floor while weaning. He obviously wont be able to fly. Make sure the dishes are very shallow. No higher than 1 inch. So he doesnt have to perch on the lid to get to it. He just has to peck until he locates it.

Take a picture of the exact positions of the bowls so you know to place them always in the same positions if you move him to another cage.

[Babs _Owner]

lovezebs

Heres Midgets permanent set up. Porky will need a puppy pad or paper down at all times or his legs and wings will get tangled in the grate.

The bowl that looks empty is actually his water. ;)

[lovezebs]

Babs

Does Midget have any sight at all Babs?