2 month old cockerels fighting and now eyes swollen shut

[Ecalix]

Sadly our little flock of chicks ended up being mostly boys. 4 boys, 2 girls and the mom. They have started to fight and 2 got injured badly to the point their eyes are swollen shut. They are able to drink but not eat so I’m very worried they won’t make it. My dad thinks it’s time to cull as we hadn’t been able to find a way to rehome them. I’m new to all this so I’m not sure what to do. Is there anything I can do to bring the swelling down? Is there a way to feed them since they can’t see? They peck but don’t take any of the food they just toss it around. I’ve even tried live meal worms and it didn’t work. Currently they are all separated. Only one is staying with the girls - the one that has not showed aggression but seems very smart.

 

[Chickeroonie keeper]

Oh boy! If they were mine, I’d try to wash off the area with warm soap and water, and use some peroxide as a first step.

 

[Ecalix]

Oh boy! If they were mine, I’d try to wash off the area with warm soap and water, and use some peroxide as a first step.

Thank you

 

[Chickeroonie keeper]

Thank you

Of course! How are your boys doing this morning?

 

[Swbertrand1]

You're going to need to separate them, obviously...

 

[Ruby Rogue]

You can't keep them unless you keep them separate from each other and from your main flock.

 

[Ecalix]

You can't keep them unless you keep them separate from each other and from your main flock.

Yea we were trying to rehome them because we don’t have the space to have more than one flock. Currently they are all separated. 2 of them can’t see because their eye lids are swollen shut. At this point I just need to figure out if then can even make

You're going to need to separate them, obviously...

yes they are all separated.

 

[Ecalix]

Of course! How are your boys doing this morning?

One is better. Yesterday he was able to figure out drinking and today he got the hang of eating as well. The second one with the eyes shut still hasn’t managed to figure it out and he keeps scratching his wounds making it worse.

 

[Eggcessive]

I think you may also have some fowl pox going around. It is a virus carried by mosquitoes and lasts about a month. There is no treatment, but if the eyes are affected or injured by the pecking, I would clean their eyes with eye wash, and apply a dab of Terramycin eye ointment twice a day. Here is some reading about fowl pox:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/fowl-pox-prevention-treatmen/

http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/fowl-pox-backyard-flocks


Look at the amount of room they have, and make sure they are getting a balanced chick starter grower feed as 90% of their diet. Put out multiple feeders and waterers for so many cockerels.

 

[Ecalix]

I think you may also have some fowl pox going around. It is a virus carried by mosquitoes and lasts about a month. There is no treatment, but if the eyes are affected or injured by the pecking, I would clean their eyes with eye wash, and apply a dab of Terramycin eye ointment twice a day. Here is some reading about fowl pox:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/fowl-pox-prevention-treatmen/

http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/fowl-pox-backyard-flocks


Look at the amount of room they have, and make sure they are getting a balanced chick starter grower feed as 90% of their diet. Put out multiple feeders and waterers for so many cockerels.

Thank you! I was wondering about the fowl pox after seeing some info on here last night. I thought the scabs were from the fighting as they were all involved. But it definitely looks a lot like the pictures I saw here.