How long should I treat an eye problem?

[azygous]

I am guessing from the dark scabs within the swollen eye tissue that other chickens have been pecking at her eye. To confirm watch the chickens interaction with her, assuming she is still in the flock and not isolated.

The swelling may not be so much from infection than it is inflammation from being pecked. First, she should be isolated in a safe pen in your run so she doesn't actually leave the flock and lose her standing. Then double down with saline rinses to keep the eye flushed of bacteria, and smooth on the antibiotic ointment twice a day. Eye injuries and infections are very painful. A 81 grain chewable aspirin table twice a day can go a long way toward controlling her pain.

 

[Fallbrook Chicken Mama]

Oh no! I'm not too sure what to do now, keep applying the Terramycin though. Also try rinsing out the eye with saline.
I'm wondering if she could have fowl pox...do you have many mosquitoes where you are? Do any of your other chickens have scab looking things on their face combs or wattles?
I'll tag some experts... @azygous @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive @dawg53 .

@Tookie So, I talked to another feed store owner who was recommended to me by a friend. She said that it looks like that the chick was originally pecked on, and we need to apply the Terramycin 5 times for the first 3 days, then 2-3 times until needed. I also got some Colloidal Silver spray.
I appreciate your continuous help! Every first time is hard... I hope to recognize this problem in the future and deal with it by myself.

 

[Fallbrook Chicken Mama]

I am guessing from the dark scabs within the swollen eye tissue that other chickens have been pecking at her eye. To confirm watch the chickens interaction with her, assuming she is still in the flock and not isolated.

The swelling may not be so much from infection than it is inflammation from being pecked. First, she should be isolated in a safe pen in your run so she doesn't actually leave the flock and lose her standing. Then double down with saline rinses to keep the eye flushed of bacteria, and smooth on the antibiotic ointment twice a day. Eye injuries and infections are very painful. A 81 grain chewable aspirin table twice a day can go a long way toward controlling her pain.

Thanks @azygous. I will place her crate in the run. I just didn't know if she had a contagious problem or not. I have a broken wrist and therefore I rely on my husband's help with the treatment when he can break away from his desk for a few minutes.

 

[Tookie]

@Tookie So, I talked to another feed store owner who was recommended to me by a friend. She said that it looks like that the chick was originally pecked on, and we need to apply the Terramycin 5 times for the first 3 days, then 2-3 times until needed. I also got some Colloidal Silver spray.
I appreciate your continuous help! Every first time is hard... I hope to recognize this problem in the future and deal with it by myself.

Good luck and keep us updated!

 

[Fallbrook Chicken Mama]

@azygous and @Tookie, I wanted to post an update. After days of treatment Buffy's eye is looking worse than on the first day. We have been using the saline solution and the Terramycin treatment with her. The isolation crate is in the coop with the other chicks. Buffy is eating, drinking, and moving around, but her swollen eye/eyelid is breaking my heart. We also have given her some Aspirin, and supposedly she took it. I broke it into small pieces and put those into a few pieces of raisin - is there a better way to give a chicken a pill?
Any more advice? Just continue what we have been doing? She's been "quarantined" for 4 days now.

 

[Tookie]

@azygous and @Tookie, I wanted to post an update. After days of treatment Buffy's eye is looking worse than on the first day. We have been using the saline solution and the Terramycin treatment with her. The isolation crate is in the coop with the other chicks. Buffy is eating, drinking, and moving around, but her swollen eye/eyelid is breaking my heart. We also have given her some Aspirin, and supposedly she took it. I broke it into small pieces and put those into a few pieces of raisin - is there a better way to give a chicken a pill?
Any more advice? Just continue what we have been doing? She's been "quarantined" for 4 days now.

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Oh no! So sorry she's gotten worse.
I unfortunately don't have any more advice, as I'm not very knowledgeable with this kind of thing.

 

[azygous]

It's time to start Buffy on an oral antibiotic. What do you have on hand? I imagine that she has staph bacteria that is overwhelming the Terramycin.

Giving a pill to a chicken is easier than you think.

We think chickens must have a problem swallowing a large pill just because we do. But their digestive process is different from ours. We begin the digestive process by chewing first, then swallowing. We aren't meant to swallow large chunks. We naturally choke.

Chickens don't have teeth for a good reason. They don't need them. Their digestive process begins after they swallow. The food goes directly into their crop without passing "Go", and then it trickles down into their gizzard where the "chewing" action goes into full swing.

Therefore, chickens can amaze us by swallowing things that we think would choke them, large pills included. But they actually have no problem. Slip the pill into the beak and you'll see it disappear like magic. Unless you don't get it far enough back on the tongue. Chickens can rival dogs and cats at firing a pill across the room like a guided missile, but it's not because they aren't able to swallow it easily.

 

[Fallbrook Chicken Mama]

Oh no! So sorry she's gotten worse.
I unfortunately don't have any more advice, as I'm not very knowledgeable with this kind of thing.

no problem @Tookie, you have been very helpful. Thank you!

 

[Fallbrook Chicken Mama]

It's time to start Buffy on an oral antibiotic. What do you have on hand? I imagine that she has staph bacteria that is overwhelming the Terramycin.

Giving a pill to a chicken is easier than you think.

We think chickens must have a problem swallowing a large pill just because we do. But their digestive process is different from ours. We begin the digestive process by chewing first, then swallowing. We aren't meant to swallow large chunks. We naturally choke.

Chickens don't have teeth for a good reason. They don't need them. Their digestive process begins after they swallow. The food goes directly into their crop without passing "Go", and then it trickles down into their gizzard where the "chewing" action goes into full swing.

Therefore, chickens can amaze us by swallowing things that we think would choke them, large pills included. But they actually have no problem. Slip the pill into the beak and you'll see it disappear like magic. Unless you don't get it far enough back on the tongue. Chickens can rival dogs and cats at firing a pill across the room like a guided missile, but it's not because they aren't able to swallow it easily.

@azygous , sorry for not replying earlier - my iPad didn't show your answer last night.

I do not have any oral antibiotic on hand, I honestly don't know what that is for chickens. I will do a little research on that and the staph bacteria you have mentioned, but I would appreciate it if you could mention some (any).
Also, I live in California.

I watched a video on opening the beaks of a chicken and pressing a pill behind the tongue - we'll watch that again with my husband (I only have one working hand now). I guess that's what we will need to do.

Another question is: since Buffy has been crated for 4 days, and will be probably for a little longer, will her full introduction to the flock be hard? Should that be done during daylight hours when I can sit in the coop and watch them, or after dark, after they go to sleep? This second option would be harder because they sleep right by the door.

 

[azygous]

Being in California isn't going to make getting an antibiotic easy. What I would do if I still lived in your state with its draconian laws about over the counter antibiotics for pets is to cultivate a good relationship with a vet. If you have other pets, you may already have established such a relationship. I assure my vet I will assume responsibility for the care of my chicken if they will write the prescription.

I believe Buffy has a staph infection going on in her eye now that is resistant to the Terramycin. Staph has evolved to defy most of our common antibiotics. So what's needed usually can't be obtained without a prescription no matter where you live. This is a med that could treat Buffy's eye but you have to have a vet email a prescription to them. https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=2B31DB07-3FDD-46DB-9226-1CD182F1876B

Antibiotics and vitamins are no different for people and animals. What works for one species works for all. Only the dose is different according to the weight of the patient.

As for Buffy returning to the flock when she's better, there should be no problem since she hasn't been out of their sight. But until she's feeling better, not feeling vulnerable, she needs to be protected from the flock picking on her, which is what they do to a chicken that is sick.