Eye injury

[lovemychooksies]

Hi, just wondering if any of you chicken keepers out there have come across this problem before with your chicken.
About a month ago my chicken who was at the bottom of the pecking order was being bullied by one of my older chickens who would get on top of her and pin her to the ground and peck at her face. She was bleeding at the side of her face and seemed to be cut just below her eye,nothing major and I thought it would heal in time. These bullying episodes were so distressing for me that I had to give away the bully to another home, where she is very happy and I see her every day.
The hen that was being bullied is now a different hen! she is foraging again, eating lots, loves to free range, laying every day and is full of life. However the injury below her eye has turned into a massive bubble, there is no visible cut or scar, just this big swelling area just below her eye so her lower eyelid is pushed up a bit, it doesnt seem to be bothering her at all, but is bothering me looking at it every day!
I feel like getting a needle and bursting it as I feel it is full of fluid, or pus, I wonder if the wound just got infected and that there is a build up of pus there, as I can see a white discharge at the top of the lower eyelid, but none of it is coming away.
I really thought that this would have cleared up by now but it doesnt look like its going to go by itself, should I intervene and lance it myself??
Or do I need a vet to do it, I am not squemish about these things and I am used to treating sick animals but I have never come across this before and I would love to hear from any of you who could shed some light on this for me please. She is not the prettiest of hens to begin with and this eye thing is not helping either! but I love her and she has a cute personality!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

Glad you could join the flock! Have you felt the lump to see if it's soft or hard? If it's hard my thoughts would be that it could be some kind of scar tissue that's built round the wound that was there. Soft would point me more towards fluid. For me personally if it was not bothering my hen and she is happy healthy and acting normally I would leave it for now. I'm not sure I would fancy tackling something so close to the eye. Opening it up could introduce infection.
I would certainly post in the emergencies section, here is the link > https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures
Adding a pic of the lump would help other members tremendously in helping you with an answer.

Wishing you the very best of luck. Enjoy BYC

 

[sunflour]

Hello, weclome to BYC. Glad you have joined us, but so sorry about your issue with bullying and her injury.

Please take Yorkshire coop's advice and post a picture under emergencies.

I agree that it is better not to risk making things worse until you know what you are dealing with. If you do have access to a vet who treats poultry, you could get their advice.

Good luck with all, hope she will be ok.

 

[lovemychooksies]

Hello, thank you so much for taking the time to reply. I will take your advice on board, see how she is in a week and if no better I will bring her to a vet.