Blinded Hen Need Advice

[crp126]

I have a hen that was suddenly blinded on Saturday evening. She got out of the run and was attacked by a dog and almost drowned. We pulled her from the water and her head was very swollen. Honestly I had little hope she would make it thru the night, but we wrapped her in a towel, treated her head with apple cider vinegar and put her in a box in the house. Her breathing was noisy but she drank when we offered water. The next morning she stood up and shook the towel off. Her head is still swollen and she won't open her eyes, I think her eyes are probably damaged. Right now she is blind, I have her in with my young chicks where she won't be picked on. I take her to water and she drinks, she is refusing food. She does move around some and comes toward me when she hears me talking. Is there anything more I could do for her? I don't want to lose her, she is one of my first two hatched here, so she has sentimental value to me. But I don't want her to suffer either. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[rides2far]

I don't have any advice, I just want you to know how sorry I am:<(

 

[Eggcessive]

Hopefully the swelling in her eyes will go down soon, so that she can see to eat and get around. Try cleaning her eyes with some normal saline, and apply some plain Neosporin or Terramycin ointment to the eyes. If you are willing, you could tube feed her until she can see to get food. Offer her some scrambled egg in the meantime, and consider putting some water into a small amount of her feed to make an oatmeal consistancy. Here is a link to multiple threads on how to tube or crop feed: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/805728/go-team-tube-feeding

 

[crp126]

Update....she is eating and drinking on her own! The swelling has gone down. One eye looks ruined, the other I swear she opens just a little. She has a will to survive and from the looks of it she will be ok just a little compromised. I cannot say how happy I was to see her drink and eat by herself this morning!