Blind Quail Chick

Ive decided to not cull my White Bobwhite quail for being blind. Never dealt with this sort of thing before so if anyone has any advice to offer Im all ears. All ive got so far is if they are with older chicks they might survive by following the others. So far so good, and I make sure it has a drink a few times a day. Am I wasting my time? Are there special needs I can provide for it? Am I just being cruel to do this? Ive never observed or managed a blind critter before so anything you can tell me could be helpful.

Reneggaide my experience is limited on this. We had a buff orpington pullet that I am not sure if she was born blind or if it came about later on, but we noticed around 5 months of age she was always moving different from the others, and when we moved them to the main coop for winter boarding she took a bit to figure out where everything was. My daughter raises these girls of course so once she figured out this girl must be blind she was already very attached.
This hen lived here for 2 years, we would have to teach her where the food and water was if we moved it, but once she had it figured out she was good. She layed on the floor but produced well, we never bred any eggs from her (she stayed in our laying flock) just in case it was genetic, but she had a good full life. We sold her to another family last year and they report she adjusted well and still is going strong.
So the need to cull if they are doing ok, finding food and water, I dont think is necessary. BUT it will be a bird that will need constant supervision to make sure that it does know where food and water is, and limit the amount of time you move it to a new pen to minimize stress on it.

i raise quail i have never had any blind chicks. Although some times the males get into really bad fights and they will be blind on one side. They still do fine,it all depends on the level of blindness. Can it see the outline of stuff? Try to seperate it and put your hand into the container with a banana or a treat if it runs towards you it can probably has a good sense of vision. If it doesnt see the banana i say kill it, its standard of life probably isnt that great and sometimes its kinder to put it out of its pain.

walter

No, its blind. This line has the orange and white color mutations, most of the white ones are blind Im told, thats all I know about them right now. The orange ones seem fine just a little weaker than the wild pattern. Ordinarily I would cull it but...I have my reasons. Some things I just have to do the hard way, all part of learning.

okay i understand. As long as you cant to care for it.

walter

We had a hatch of 13 ducks last week. 2 were dead in the shell, 10 ducks were perfect, and one little guy was born blind (with no eyesockets whatsoever). It has been a week and slowly the little guy (Mr Magoo) is able to folow the peeps of his siblings to find food and water. He is still the smallest, but he is a tough little guy. I think he's a keeper.

Today when I went into the brooder he was snuggled with his mates and doing fine. He must have heard or felt me reaching for him, went straight to the water dish, had a drink and a peck to eat. I figure he wanted to show me, or he knew he'd be picked up and beak dipped. Tonight he showed signs of having a little bit of sight but I can't be sure yet.