One eye closed, one open?

[heksa]

My chickens keeps one eye closed and one open.

The closed one opens sometimes and when it does it looks normal.
Otherwise it looks like that:

Is she sick?

 

[Beth G.]

Hi,

I had a silkie baby that did this at a show. I had the Vet look at her and come to find out another bigger chick scratched her cornea. I was told to get drops/ointment from TSC and also that coffee grinds compress works. Shay20 on BYC has alot of knowledge how to treat the eye from home. I suggest contacting her and maybe through PM you both can figure out a game plan or perhaps you will have to call a Vet. Remember Eyes are very important and technically I wouldn't mess with their vision etc..

Best Wishes for your Baby!!

 

[ChicknCharm]

We had a chicken last year with a closed eye, turned a bit goopy, then a smelly head and sneezing. We looked it up and found HORRIBLE diseases with just these symptoms. However, she just needed antibiotics and rest. No one else in our flock caught it.

What I learned:
1.) wash the eyes with saline solution from the pharmacy; in a bottle intended for use in eyes
2.) you can use neosporin ointment in an infected eye...it is neomyicin (sp?)
3.) Vet RX in nostrils and behind the ears (like perfume, but maybe dilute with warm water just a bit) and in their armpits (wing pits) helps alot of minor respiratory stuff. Drops in the water helps, too.
4.) Tylan 50 inject. is good for many respiratory illnesses. Wait until there is smell, swell, or goop (and rule out any physical causes, something in the eye)
5.) Keep a sad sicko hen separate in cat carrier in a dim, quiet place.

Good luck! We had a hen who had a strand of hay stuck way back in her eye....it was almost behind the eyeball. So, LOOK FOR THE PHYSICAL possibilities. Shine an LED flashlight around her eyeball and see if you spot anything alien, we found a spec and carefully (with VERY CLEAN HANDS) rubbed it forward, it turned out to be a long piece of straw (long for an eyeball). She had blinked it back and it drove her nuts.

 

[rIrs roost]

Thanks for keeping us posted. Sounds like she's on the mend. Give us an update in a few days or if you need us , we're here for you.

 

[thaokou21]

yea, she is sick. Her eye is shut and she cant open it. You need to open it for her and clean it or it will get worst. what I usually do is clean it and give a drop of tylan 200 into the eye like a eye drop untill its better. from past experience, this works for me.

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

OP said eye did open sometimes and looked normal, so maybe there is not an infection that antibiotics could help with.

Maybe chicken is blind in that eye or the pupil does not contract and the chicken then keeps it closed to preven too much light?

 

[heksa]

Thanks, I will watch her closely.

I had Buff Orphington do that a few months ago - my daughter brought her home all shaken up and screaming "OMG, there is something wrong with my chicken" but the chicken opened its eye a few minutes later and it was fine after that.

So this time, I wasn't too concerned about the eye. Except I noticed this chicken acted a little strange in the mornining - kind of tired, out of sorts - standing still, puffed up and not scratching as much as the others. Then she went to the coop and sat in the nesting box. I already gathered the eggs that day and didn't think she was due to lay again. And she didn't. Isn't wierd?

 

[Judy]

She may have one of the chicken respiratory diseases. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[Clay Valley Farmer]

Yep with eye stuff and other symptoms starting to show it is quite possible that there is an underlying illness.

Would be good to mover her out of the flock for observation and just to be safe until you can get a better idea of whats going on. Moving her into to a cage will help to get an idea of how she is doing for eating, drinking and pooping as well.

 

[wegotchickens]

Keeping her in a warm area is a good idea too, from what I've been reading.