How I got Rid of Elly Mae's Eyeworms!
Elly Mae is a very tiny adult Partridge Bantham, (12 oz). When I acquired her last spring she was infected with eyeworms. I caged her. I used every treatment I could find, including the RX but to no avail..the eyeworms were surrounding her eye and a huge puss pocket was causing her eye to swell shut. She was listless and called out to me.. constantly... in pain. I was desparate to find a way to help her. I had a spray bottle with pink liquid ring worm medicine for puppies...I did not want to do it but at this point..she would be blind any way you look at it and she could die if I did not do something. I held her wings down and held her eye open and sprayed one squirt into her eye socket. She was a bit upset from the squirt but it must have numbed her. The treatment seemed to be backing the eyeworms off but..not completely. After two weeks more of daily treatments..Elly still had the puss pocket but it was smaller. Every morning I would squeeze it and out would come the puss and a small yellow worm or two. It was the only relief I could provide. The vet here does not treat chickens and if he does they charge outrageous amounts. Again, I tried to think of something..and this time..I was taking a chance that she would end up blind or worse but she was hurting so much I had to help. I went to the feed store to pick up feed,food grade DE and pine shavings...I asked for help..they offered no solutions. I tried every thing I could find on line and the eyeworm was still persistant. She was getting so weak I feared she would die. I prayed for her and then I thought of something I could try..I got some of the Food grade DE, held her eye open as wide as I could and sprinkled a small amount into the corner of her eye. She blinked a few times and sat down in her cage. The next morning..I squeezed the worms and puss out daily...the worms were dead! I treated her with the DE again five days later. It Worked! Elly has been EyeWorm free for the last five months. None of my other hens contracted it. I sterilize her cage weekly with boiling water. Her eyesight seems fine..she is a fat little healthy girl..sure do love my Elly Mae. She is so calm and mellow and she loves to fly..My larger hens do not mess with her because she has a sharper beak and is not afraid to defend herself. She cheeps her name out over and over "Elly Elly Elly" when she wants something or she has found a new treat. Gotta love her!
Elly Mae is a very tiny adult Partridge Bantham, (12 oz). When I acquired her last spring she was infected with eyeworms. I caged her. I used every treatment I could find, including the RX but to no avail..the eyeworms were surrounding her eye and a huge puss pocket was causing her eye to swell shut. She was listless and called out to me.. constantly... in pain. I was desparate to find a way to help her. I had a spray bottle with pink liquid ring worm medicine for puppies...I did not want to do it but at this point..she would be blind any way you look at it and she could die if I did not do something. I held her wings down and held her eye open and sprayed one squirt into her eye socket. She was a bit upset from the squirt but it must have numbed her. The treatment seemed to be backing the eyeworms off but..not completely. After two weeks more of daily treatments..Elly still had the puss pocket but it was smaller. Every morning I would squeeze it and out would come the puss and a small yellow worm or two. It was the only relief I could provide. The vet here does not treat chickens and if he does they charge outrageous amounts. Again, I tried to think of something..and this time..I was taking a chance that she would end up blind or worse but she was hurting so much I had to help. I went to the feed store to pick up feed,food grade DE and pine shavings...I asked for help..they offered no solutions. I tried every thing I could find on line and the eyeworm was still persistant. She was getting so weak I feared she would die. I prayed for her and then I thought of something I could try..I got some of the Food grade DE, held her eye open as wide as I could and sprinkled a small amount into the corner of her eye. She blinked a few times and sat down in her cage. The next morning..I squeezed the worms and puss out daily...the worms were dead! I treated her with the DE again five days later. It Worked! Elly has been EyeWorm free for the last five months. None of my other hens contracted it. I sterilize her cage weekly with boiling water. Her eyesight seems fine..she is a fat little healthy girl..sure do love my Elly Mae. She is so calm and mellow and she loves to fly..My larger hens do not mess with her because she has a sharper beak and is not afraid to defend herself. She cheeps her name out over and over "Elly Elly Elly" when she wants something or she has found a new treat. Gotta love her!
