Blind in one eye

[Guest]

I am asking the advice of members over a yearling hen I have, she was an extremly consistant young bird and won several (diplomas) Cards.

 

When we paired the race team up she was beaten so badly by a cock she has loast the asght in one eye.  After she healed and got her confidence back she started loft flying with the other hens withour a problem. Yesterday we took her on a 10 mile toss with the rest of the hens and she was there with the others.

 

Has anyone had experience of racing a partially sighted bird, if so could you please share yours experiences.

[Guest jason]

how could you tell she's blind in one eye??

[Guest]

The eue has gone opaque, lost all its colour and there is no reaction when I pass my hand over it

[Guest jason]

never heard or seen of anything about pigeon blindness but there you go, learn something new everyday

[Guest TAMMY_1]

LAST YEAR I RACED A 3YO BLACK HEN AND UP TILL THEN SHE HAD BEEN A GREAT RACING HEN AND SHE GOT LOST IN A RACE AND A COUPLE OF WEEKS LATER SHE WAS REPORTED AND I SENT AND GOT HER BACK AND I FOUND OUT SHE WAS BLIND IN ONE EYE, I KEPT HER AND SHE FLEW GREAT ROUND ABOUT SO I DECIDED TO TRAIN HER AGAIN SO SHE WAS SENT TO A TOSS OF ABOUT 40 MLS ALONG WITH OTHER BIRDS WHICH IS THE USUAL DISTANCE MY OLD BIRDS ARE SENT. I DONT DRIVE SO MY BROTHER AND MY NEIGHBOUR TAKE THEM ANY DAY I WANT TO SEND THEM.SORRY BACK TO THE BLIND HEN , ON THIS PARTICULAR TOSS EVERY BIRD WAS BACK AS USUAL EXCEPT THIS HEN AND IT WAS NOT BACK TILL IT WAS NEARY DARK,AND THE NEXT MORNING WHEN THEY CAME FOR MY BIRDS THEY ASKED ME IF I LOST A BLACK PIGEON BECAUSE THEY SAID WHEN THEY LET THE BIRDS GO THIS HEN STARTED CIRCLING THE OPPOSITE WAY AND FLEW IN THE OTHER DIRECTION. I HAVE KEPT HER BECAUSE HER AND HER SISTER WERE THE BEST PAIR OF HENS I RACED.

[REDCHEQHEN]

I remember reading an article about some research done on racing pigeons and their homing ability, and the pigeons were fitted with contact lens to simulate blindness to see if they could return to their loft without the aid of vision, or using lens where they had partial vision. The article was I'm sure in one of the usual pigeon magazines. They could still home with no vision/partial vision I'm sure.

[rlez]

I am asking the advice of members over a yearling hen I have, she was an extremly consistant young bird and won several (diplomas) Cards.

 

When we paired the race team up she was beaten so badly by a cock she has loast the asght in one eye.  After she healed and got her confidence back she started loft flying with the other hens withour a problem. Yesterday we took her on a 10 mile toss with the rest of the hens and she was there with the others.

 

Has anyone had experience of racing a partially sighted bird, if so could you please share yours experiences.

 

hi

i had a 96 cock which was blind in one eye it tended to fly the sameway either to the left or to the right always circling and flying different to the flock i would worry when in basket if other birds would bully it,i never raced this cock after watching him flying at home

 

les

[Guest]

I have a 2yo cock who lost part of his eye as a young bird. Cornea, nicky membrane and iris are all missing. I do not consider the bird as fit for racing, and he's there for breeding and as a safe mate for one of my channel hopefuls.

 

While others have been taken by percy when out-and-about, 'Blind Harry' (touching wood now) hasn't - he flies solo and basically usually away for a spin for around an hour.

 

Opaqueness of your hen's eye worries me, Hyacinth as it sounds as if some micro-organism has made an opportunistic attack on the bird's wound. There's also the general rule regarding 'fitness' and I wonder if your club officials would allow such a bird in the race basket.

 

Thoughts are very fresh as I'm facing much the same dilemna with a 2005 late bred cock with a problem eye, Hyacinth. Reckon its physical, rather than 'medical' and I do intend to take the bird to the vet. However, I'm sure that if I took that bird down to club race marking, it wouldn't be accepted.

 

Lastly, there's also the dilemna in the race basket. Pigeons single out 'weak' members of their species for special attention. And I also believe your bird and mine would have a hell of a time from other birds' attentions in the basket.

 

Hope these thoughts are helpful.

 

 

 

[MsPigeon]

Hyacinth if I were in your position I would always blame myself it she was lost. Even if it wasn't my fault, I would always wonder and think I should not have sent her.

Carol

[Guest]

I'm not going to send her Carol, was just seeking other peoples opinions.

[T_T]

Hi Hyacinth,

                  I remember many years ago reading a post by Old Hand who said that a pigeon that was blind in one eye when let out, would fly in ever decreasing circles until it dropped to the ground exhausted.  At least it seems as though your hen has got her wits about her and of course I know you won't race her but most certainly if she's well bred, always worth a pair of young un's or keep her for a dropper/widow hen ?

[Jack Barkel]

Hello Hyacinth,

 

I do believe that a bird blind in one eye may not be alert enough to take evasive action if attacked from above on it's blind side. So I agree with you and the members, best retire her to stock.

 

I would just like to mention that birds from the same loft when in a communal basket will fight and peck each others eyes, whereas once they are in the race pannier they seem to settle down without much fighting.

 

People that have brought their birds to me for eye evaluations, when not transported in a widow hood box, often those pigeons portray pecked and damaged corneas through fighting.

 

A bird liberated at race point with pecked corneas is near blind for several days, such a bird no matter how good a record it has will surely be flying that day under a severe handicap. May I suggest that whenever possible transport your birds to the marking station in separate compartment baskets.

 

The damaged cornea is easily seen with a magnifying glass and looks like a flat piece of plastic on the eye. Please be careful it can cost you the race.

 

Best Regards

 

Jack

 

[Guest TAMMY_1]

HAVE YOU TRIED A WHITE STICK OR DOLLAND AND ATCHISON ?

[Guest TAMMY_1]

HAVE YOU TRIED A WHITE STICK OR DOLLAND AND ATCHISON ?

[Guest]

Hello Hyacinth,

 

I would just like to mention that birds from the same loft when in a communal basket will fight and peck each others eyes, whereas once they are in the race pannier they seem to settle down without much fighting.

 

Best Regards

 

Jack

 

 

I'd like to pick up on this part of your post, Jack.

 

Agree with your first observation about birds from the same loft as I had that soul-destroying experience recently during food / water training my birds in the basket.

 

However, at least one piece of research has shown that the same goes on in the race basket. What I saw in my own basket mirrored the Dutch researchers' findings. Basically, the aggressive behaviours start as soon as the birds go into the basket and only ends when the birds are released .. one, two or three days later.

 

The 'settling down' you have observed is only temporary. The Dutch experience was as soon as one bird makes any move, e.g. preening, going towards food or water, it sparks-off the cycle of pecking etc behaviours.

[Guest]

Not Funny Tammy, the loss of an extremely promising yearling hen in nothing to joke or jest about

[Guest TAMMY_1]

SORRY TO HAVE UPSET YOU !! BUT AS I POSTED EARLIER ON THIS SUBJECT I SAID THAT I HAD THE SAME EXPERINCE BUT WITH ONE OF A PAIR THAT WERE MY TWO BEST HENS AND I STILL KEPT IT FOR BREEDING.

[Guest]

I', as probably upset as much loosing an excellent hen as you are with the SHU

[Guest TAMMY_1]

I'LL SEND YOU A STICK AND THE NEXT TIME I UPSET YOU CAN WHACK ME ON THE NAPPER!!!!

[T_T]

Strange,

            Last week, a cock that came home on the Saturday had feathers skinned at the back of his head leaving a small raw area.  The wound was virtually healed and today, I took 14 cocks training him being one of them.  When he dropped some 15 mins behind the others I couldn't help but notice this raw patch had been opened up again to the size of a two penny piece.  That's him finished for this season.  Do you think they are like chickens, ? when one of those is poorly/run down, the group then set about it quite viciously.

[jimmy white]

i had a bird that had actually lost its eye, this bird had raced well,previous to this, but really he was at such a disadvantage, i stopped him for good, he used to fly opposite way of the batch if it was his bad eye side, but the good thing was he did breed winners. i know how you feel hyacinth, as i felt the same.