23 day old ISA Brown chick with eye injury

[CaribbeanChicks]

Hi,
My 23 day old chick has an eye injury. Ruby's eye was definitely plucked at by a smaller chick. I witnessed it happening. Her eyelid was already red when I noticed the other chick was the culprit. I separated them but her eye is still getting worse. Whenever I clean her eyes with saline she scratches at it nonstop. She is eating and drinking fine, so I decided to leave her alone. Am I making the right choice? Also, this started happening 6 days ago. I am attaching a photo of her eyes today.

 

[picklestheduck]

Oh geez that doesn’t look good. I don’t have a ton of experience with eye injuries, but I would definitely say to separate her from the other chicks so they do not further injure her. Im no expert but she very well may be blind now. Im not sure who to tag to help but hopefully these peeps can help you more than I.
@azygous
@Wyorp Rock

 

[CaribbeanChicks]

Oh geez that doesn’t look good. I don’t have a ton of experience with eye injuries, but I would definitely say to separate her from the other chicks so they do not further injure her. Im no expert but she very well may be blind now. Im not sure who to tag to help but hopefully these peeps can help you more than I.
@azygous
@Wyorp Rock

Hi!
She was separated 5 days ago. Her eye was still open at the time. It was puffy and red on the upper and lower lids, but still open. Whenever I clean it, she scratches at it like crazy. I don't know what to do?

 

[azygous]

She is scratching the eye because it hurts like the Dickens. It's probably infected. You need to get some Terramycin eye antibiotic ointment from the feed store. Or you can use Neosporin in a pinch.

Continue to flush the eye twice a day with saline, and put the ointment in the eye two or three times a day.

If she continues to scratch at the eye, that is a problem we may have to solve with creative means. But introducing the antibiotic ointment should soothe the eye and it should become less painful.

 

[CaribbeanChicks]

She is scratching the eye because it hurts like the Dickens. It's probably infected. You need to get some Terramycin eye antibiotic ointment from the feed store. Or you can use Neosporin in a pinch.

Continue to flush the eye twice a day with saline, and put the ointment in the eye two or three times a day.

If she continues to scratch at the eye, that is a problem we may have to solve with creative means. But introducing the antibiotic ointment should soothe the eye and it should become less painful.

 

[CaribbeanChicks]

Hi & thank you !
I was already cleaning her eye with saline and using the eye drops. Sorry, I was not very clear on that. I saw what to do from other posts. The problem is she scratches after I clean it and apply the drops.

 

[azygous]

She's introducing bacteria every time she scratches. You will need to put "socks" on her feet for a couple days until the antibiotic can do its job.

The best way to work it is to confine her to a crate, and give her a whole raw carrot to nibble on to take her mind off her shrouded talons. Choose squares of non-shedding fabric so she won't choke on any yarn fuzz. Or you can wrap her feet in Vetrap if you have any of that elastic bandage. It just needs to be for a couple days until the antibiotic heals the eye enough so it stops being painful.

 

[CaribbeanChicks]

She's introducing bacteria every time she scratches. You will need to put "socks" on her feet for a couple days until the antibiotic can do its job.

The best way to work it is to confine her to a crate, and give her a whole raw carrot to nibble on to take her mind off her shrouded talons. Choose squares of non-shedding fabric so she won't choke on any yarn fuzz. Or you can wrap her feet in Vetrap if you have any of that elastic bandage. It just needs to be for a couple days until the antibiotic heals the eye enough so it stops being painful.

Great advice! Thank you so much! I am going to do what you suggested. I will keep you updated. Thanks again!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi & thank you !
I was already cleaning her eye with saline and using the eye drops. Sorry, I was not very clear on that. I saw what to do from other posts. The problem is she scratches after I clean it and apply the drops.

I agree, try the sock and see if it helps.

Just an observation, you are cleaning with saline and using eye drops which is perfectly fine, but I would still apply a very thin layer of ointment to the tissue around the eye. The ointment may give a bit of relief to itchy scabby skin and also protect the tissue a bit from irritation of the drops and saline.

 

[azygous]

When she stops trying to scratch the eye, you'll know the eye is no longer painful and the feet covers can be removed.