The Amazing Blindy

Blindy. That is her name because that is what she is. Blind. She should be dead. If my husband and I were not such wimps we would have dispatched her to the hereafter when she first went blind. After all she just requires more attention and special care because of her disability. And, on a farm, or at least a proper farm, there is little room for the slow, infirm or disabled.  Especially a blind chicken!

 

The Amazing Blindy

 Ours is not the proper farm. In fact, I hate to, but must admit that I am probably the worst farmer on the earth. I am too tender hearted. But, back to blindy.  I don't remember how she ended up with our other chickens. Our flock is mixed...some "strays" a rescue or two and a couple of our own home grown. We noticed one day that she was having some problems seeing the food, etc and realized that she was going blind. Once we determined that it was not something that was going to infect or effect the whole chicken gang we thought we would just take a wait and see approach.  I was sure that she would be picked off by a hawk or wander off into the woods. None of that happened.


Blindy, free from the human tendency toward self-pity, has soldiered on. She began making her way along carefully feeling each step with her long toes and memorizing her paths. We found ourselves making sure that the water bowl outside the pen and the chicken "snack station" at the back porch was always in the same place so she could find it. Then we noticed that the other chickens were actually looking out for her and calling to her so she could keep up.  Early on there were the occasional slip-ups when she got turned around and headed in the wrong direction, got tangled in undergrowth or got out of ear shot of the others. But for the most part, when we went looking for her and called for her she would reorient and find her way back. The worst incident was when she wandered out with the cows.  Now cows are pretty tough, especially to little things that walk right toward them, and they were sort of playing soccer with her. Fortunately I saw the weird soccer game and rescued her.

That was year 1. We are now in year 3 since she went blind. I never expected that she would get along so well this long. She has weathered the weather...although she did need to be rescued from hurricane Sandy. She has continued to be a good egg layer, heading into her nesting box every day to leave us fine eggs. She free ranges with all the other chickens and while the foxes have taken a few of our Guineas, Blindy marches on. What a treat she has been, kind of a chicken inspiration to us. She likes to ride in the truck with Ed and is happy to be picked up and carried as long as you don't sneak up on her. She is a survivor.

So while I am a wimpy farmer, I am gaining from our animals,worlds of experience in just plain courage and resilience. They amaze and astound me on a daily basis. Blindy doesn't know that she is blind..or what blind is. I have no idea how long we will have Blindy...but I'm glad we have her amd all our animals today.

Lessons From a Blind Chicken

OK..so this is going to be about a blind chicken...the light colored one in the photo.  And no, it doesn't end badly.

Our chickens all have really really boring and descriptive names, Red, Sonny, Cher, (of course), Sneezy,Floppy, Beaky, Augie,Pretty and...Blindy. All of them came to us by accident. We never intended to raise chickens, but they selected us, so we were stuck.  Since then I have become quite attached to them and discovered that chickens are really quite personable and surprisingly smart.  And, they have a very complex social life...pecking order as it were...that very much mirrors that of humans... scarey.  Plus..they look silly when they run (also like some humans I know).

So...about a year and a half ago, we noticed that one of the hens was developing a cloudy color to her eyes and definitely going blind...but she was otherwise healthy and the other chickens showed no sign of illness, so we watched and waited. We thought we were going to have to "put her down", but she seemed to be adjusting and like any sightless being, orienting through sound and using her feet to feel carefully along. And better still, we noticed that the other chickens were looking after her and directing her. How neat was that.

Still we expected she would not make it through the winter...but she continued to surprise us. She thrived. When  it was icy or snowy, she simply stayed at the coop when the other chickens went out to scratch around.  And, while she occasionally went astray, if we called, "here chick chick" for a couple of minutes she would find her way to us.  She has learned the sound of our voices and sometimes just "coos" and waits to be picked up and carried to the coop.

Why some fox or hawk or other predator has not grabbed her while she is out and about in the daytime is a mystery to us. But she is now going into her second winter as a blind chicken and doing quite well navigating about and scratching around happily for whatever it is that chickens scratch up to eat, with her feathered friends.

 Our wonderful animals here continue to put me to shame with their resilience and optimistic approach to life. They are brave and smart and funny and never waste time feeling sorry for themselves  (well, at least they don't seem to) or trying to be what they are not.  Every day they teach me lessons about living a rich life. I am so honored to know Blindy!