Eye covered in yellow crust, looks like this happened within the last 24 hours

[Eggcessive]

Oh, I am so glad that you got her taken care of at the vet, but sorry for the expense. Sometimes this sort of thing is so important for kids. I had a Polish hen who once was blinded by a peck injury, but her eye seemed intact after the swelling went down. Eyes are frequent objects for pecking, but it is unfortunate that her eyeball was pieced and had to be removed. She should be able to get by with only one eye, and still be a good pet to your son. Let us know how she gets along.

 

[azygous]

You had only one option given this hen's pet status. Glad the vet was agreeable to negotiating the surgical fee.

Eye injuries happen a lot in chicken world, and for the most part, they resolve on their own, perhaps with minimal saline flushing and a little antibiotic ointment application on our part. Even necrotic tissue is often walled off by the victim's immune system and expelled by being auto-amputated. I haven't had experience with a damaged eyeball, but I've had a hen auto-amputate a talon. While her body was busy getting rid of the talon, she became very agile on one leg.

Your hen will be fine with one eye. However, she will not be able to compete for treats and may be so slow in focusing on food on the ground that others will eat it before her brain can coordinate with the single eye due to lack of depth perception. So your son will want to give treats to his hen while she is away from the rest of the flock.

 

[jenvander]

She has really perked up after the surgery! She was holding her own quite well when the scratch+mealworm treats were tossed out. Azygous, I thought just like you did, that she would be hanging back more and having trouble navigating. She was doing a great job getting around and finding the food with only one eye. She's figured out a way to swing her head back and forth and quickly memorize her immediate surroundings, navigate, then repeat. She's keeping up with the flock foraging right now and definitely acting more like her old self. I'll post a picture tomorrow when I get a chance to get a shot of the stitched up eye. Not something you see every day

 

[azygous]

She's a survivor! Not a hen to be culled by any means!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for the update. I'm so glad you were able to see the vet.
Yes, sometimes for the sake of children, you need to go above and beyond. I see from your latest post she seems to be doing quite well. I hope she has a long and happy life and brings your son much joy.