# Pink eyes.



## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

One of the tumbler chicks I'm rearing has pink eyes, of the two chicks this one has had a few problems in its first week of life with static crop (perhaps caused by my over feeding) and then damaged air sac which I've had to pop every now and then - it has always been smaller and has hardly any down. 
My question is - is it albino, will it grow feathers eventually and do its eyes seem blind or will they likely function normally?
This was the first egg laid but the slowest to grow. The parents are black and white tumblers.
Thanks for reading. 









The sibling.


----------



## Chuck K (Jan 12, 2013)

It could be an albino, but there is also a very rare recessive gene in pigeons called pink-eyed dilute. The pink-eyed dilute birds are also short downed in the nest. They often have eye problems and other health issues.


----------



## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

Thank you Chuck. I've been googling and read about the dilute which is a worry since this little one probably wouldn't have made it in a nest and my intervening means that it will now have a life that may be of poor quality - which is sad. I've seen albino chicks and they look much paler skin wise than this one does, so I'm thinking the worst. It's gaining weight at last and feeding well but there's something about its eyes that bothers me, it doesn't follow me with them like the other chick does but then it is developing slower so I'll just have to wait and see.


----------



## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

He's adorable so hope he is ok. I have had albino Guinea pigs and have an albino frog.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Gee, I hope he'll be okay. Hope there aren't too many problems. If so, then maybe he just won't make it. Poor little thing. Very cute. 
Will be curious to see how he does.


----------



## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Was looking up albino pigeons. There are interesting posts on PT.
http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f5/albino-pigeons-57027.html


----------



## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

cwebster said:


> He's adorable so hope he is ok. I have had albino Guinea pigs and have an albino frog.


That's brilliant cwebster, I've seen an albino frog in pics but not real life - my son breeds various coloured dart frogs, some are as tiny as a little finger nail and so cute but their call is ear piercing. Thanks for the link too. 
Thanks Jay - the good news is that today little Gandalf is following me around with her eyes and is so much stronger than a day or two ago - in just 24 hours they change so much don't they? I have high hopes now. 
On another note, I've sent the shells off for DNA sex testing and if the 'vent test' is correct I'd say these two are girls (or is that just wishful thinking? Lol) the last three have been correct with the 'smile' and 'frown' so let's just see how these test - I'll be pretty amazed if they all test the same sexes as their vents suggested. 

Getting there.


----------



## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Gandalf is adorable! Glad to see he or she is doing well. Will be very interested to see how the DNA tests compare to the smile vs frown too.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*Oh my...she is cute! Glad she is following you with her eyes .

I hope you get your 2 girls too!  , not .*


----------



## Skogsdua (Apr 15, 2016)

What a little cutie <3 hope everything will be alright!


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Yes he is adorable.


----------



## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

I actually kinda like his/her baldness and pink eyes and I'm pleased as punch that she's gaining weight and started looking around because I worried she may be blind. They are so different to the feral chicks and their peeps are much more 'tiny' real little cuties and the way the other three gather round to watch the feeds is pretty awesome too. I must get pics but have my hands full at feed times, lol.


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

Sounds very cute, with the others gathered around to see what's going on.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

FredaH said:


> I actually kinda like his/her baldness and pink eyes and I'm pleased as punch that she's gaining weight and started looking around because I worried she may be blind. They are so different to the feral chicks and their peeps are much more 'tiny' real little cuties and the way the other three gather round to watch the feeds is pretty awesome too. I must get pics but have my hands full at feed times, lol.


*Your "teenagers" will even eventually show them how to eat at feeding time. They do pick up pointers from watching the grown ups eat.  *


----------



## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

Skyeking said:


> *Your "teenagers" will even eventually show them how to eat at feeding time. They do pick up pointers from watching the grown ups eat.  *


Definitely Skyeking - Gully was my most reluctant weaner but the other two just got on and did it. 
My little ones at just over one week old - head over heels for these two already.


----------



## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

*SUPER adorable! I am LOOKing forward to updated pictures on these two, as they grow! *


----------



## Jay3 (May 4, 2008)

So goofy that they're adorable. You gotta love a baby pigeon.


----------



## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

I've noticed today that little fuzzy (Greta) is colouring up and has black skin along her wings and beak, little baldie (Gandalf) still has no colour anywhere. When/how will I know if she's albino or not?


----------



## Chuck K (Jan 12, 2013)

Albino's are pink eyed as adults, but so are pink-eyed dilutes. It seem to be thriving to well to be the pink-eyed dilute so I would say probably albino, or may just a recessive white. If the eyes turn bull (dark) as an adult it may be a recessive white. It will interesting to see the feather color when it comes out.


----------



## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

Thanks Chuck and I'm looking forward to seeing the feathers too. Never had a baldie before and find this so interesting. This chick is much smaller than the sibling though, seven grams lighter but just as active as the other one.


----------



## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

We have a few pin feathers and it seems one chick is black and white, like the parents, while little baldie remains wholly white. We shall see as she grows if her eyes remain pink, I'm wondering if they can change colour as she matures. I've emailed the lab that do their DNA sex tests to ask if they can test for albinism and waiting for a reply. 
The main reason I'd want to know is because I've read they don't live as long as other birds, so in some respects it may be better if she's just a white girl. One things for sure, these chicks are far slower at growing than my ferals and very much smaller even though their crops are full as possible at each feed. Lively little things though and super cute.


----------



## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Cute little guy!


----------



## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

Well the babes are now four weeks old and feathering up nicely. Grace (was Gandalf but sexed female) is a brighter white than Greta who looks kinda cream next to her. Gretas eyes seem to be changing and becoming darker while Grace still has pink eyes and no colouring to her feathers - they look like they're wearing fur coats as the head feathers are still to properly come through. Lovely little girls both.


----------



## cwebster (Dec 11, 2010)

Cute and fluffy too!


----------



## Chuck K (Jan 12, 2013)

I'd be really interested to know what you are feeding them, and how. I have tried to feed abandoned youngsters with Kaytee Exact hand feeding formula and never had much success getting them to survive, and those weren't new hatchlings. 

From the looks of these two you are doing an excellent job of being mom and dad.


----------



## FredaH (Apr 5, 2016)

Thank you Chuck - I use syringe and balloon teat method. 
For the first five days I use Kaytee and then I add my own mix, half and half. Once they're just over a week old I use my mix alone. Cup of soaked Versele Laga, hand full thawed peas, powdered porridge oats to thicken, one drop of Calcivet and half a scoop of Avipro avian. The peas make it moist and it seems to go through the crop better. All blended to a paste. They're eating seed now but still begging me so I make the mix more watery to help with the seed because I don't see them drink yet. Once I see them drink properly I'll stop my feeds - I think these guys are taking me for a ride because the ferals decided they didn't want my feeds at all by this age, lol. 
They all get a small portion of 'treat seeds' that I buy from the grocery store, sesame, green lentils, linseed, hemp, sunflower, red lentils, pearl barely etc - they gather round when I get the packets out as do the little ones. I use Kaytee initially because I can't get the enzymes needed to replace crop milk but I don't think Kaytee alone is a very substantial food personally.


----------



## Chuck K (Jan 12, 2013)

Thanks for the information. I was only using the Kaytee, which might be a problem after they get a little older. I only try this in emergencies. I don't have the patience to devote to it as a common practice.


----------

