5 wk old silkie baby has an eye condition

[LALADY1101]

I have (6) 5 week old silkies. This morning I noticed that one of them has a crusty and closed eye. I cleaned it with a warm wash cloth and put some terramycin in it. Is that a correct antibiotic for them and what is causing this. I didn't notice anything else wrong, but she is staying away from the others a bit. Need some advice please..thanks

 

[threehorses]

That's the perfect start if you meant terramycin ointment in the eye. I would continue that daily for at least a week or until symptoms are better.

In the mean time, we need more information as there are a number of causes of the same symptoms: bacteria, vitamin A deficiency, virus, fungi, environmental issues (dust), injury, etc. That way we can focus less broadly and help you more accurately.

The second sticky in this forum has a list of questions that we would love to have you answer to help us get started on a flock history and the history of this bird. If you could please answer those questions into this thread, it would be greatly appreciated.

In the mean time, separate her and make sure she eats well. I would get a few things ready:

A vitamin supplement such as Aviacharge, or even Enfamil baby vitamins PolyViSol (not the iron fortified - the other formula - see Walmart's vitamin section). Some plain yogurt (a small container). A good antibiotic like Tylan injectable (with syringes) or LS50. This doesn't seem like Pasteurella but if it were Sulmet treats it. I avoid Duramycin/terramycin/etc. But if that's all you can get, I'd get some today before the stores close. I wouldn't use it just yet - this could be nutritional, but we will see from your answers. On "weight" they mean is she thin or heavy, and a guestimate of how many pounds (1 pound versus 5 pounds).

 

[LALADY1101]

1) What type of bird , age and weight.
buff silkie 5 wks old yesterday maybe 1 lb??

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
relatively normal, maybe staying by herself a little
3) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
her eye is closed shut....no runny nose
4) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
don't know...I gave them yogurt yesterday for the 1st time and I was thinking maybe some got in her eye
5) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
medicated chick starter yogurt for the 1st time yesterday
6) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
normal
7) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
terramycin eye ointment
8 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? treat myself
9) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
wish I could...left my cord from my camera at work
10) Describe the housing/bedding in use
they are in a 3X6 pen covered by chicken wire. It is kept on my covered back porch until Dh finishes their coop. I use a paper similar to a paper bag as a liner. We change it every afternoon

 

[threehorses]

Well I don't know that the yogurt would get in her eye and hurt it - any possibility that she got pecked?

I would continue daily with the rinse - wait 10 minutes - then treat with the terramycin ointment as you had done.

I'd also consider using VetRx in case she might be fighting a little something that only has manifested itself in the one eye. In any case, her eye will be draining into the inside - and the vetrx will help in her eye sinuses to help open the sinuses. One small 2 ounce bottle goes a long way and is around $6. You mix a few drops of VetRx with a few very hot drops of water. The heat will cool as you mix the oil and water til it emulsifies to gether. Then use a q-tip (a new q-tip end for each spot recommended). Swab the mixture into each nostril (damp q-tip), into the choana (cleft opening in the roof of her mouth) with a wet but not dripping q-tip, then use damp qtips under each eye but not in the duct. That could help.

This year, I have a cockerel who had eye inflammation. Taking my own advice, I treated above (after hearing him sneeze once) for a week. He cleared up and is fine now. it's possible they fight something but just need a little help to keep it getting out of hand.

I'd keep a keen eye for any additional respiratory symptoms though. If any pop up, let us know, and then prepare maybe ahead of time by buying a good antibiotic like Tylan or LS50 to keep on hand for such situations.

If the bird had these symptoms and had thick mucous from the beak or a very bad smell from the nostrils, then I'd recommend buying Sulmet for pasteurella and coryza, respectively. That's another good one to have in the cabinet.

In the mean time, treating as you are with possibly VetRx hopefully will fix her unless other symptoms present.

Please do let us know how she's doing, and thank you for the quick reply!

 

[robin416]

Two things could be happening, a vitamin A deficiency or look very closely at the feathers around the eyes. If there is any chance they are contacting the eye try trimming them away. That should fix the problem pretty quickly.

 

[LALADY1101]

Quote:
I did notice one of the other chicks peck at her eye this morning but I've seen them do that before, so I wasn't too concerned until a little later when I noticed her eye was shut. After reading your response, I checked to see if there was an odor and there isn't. I don't have any VetRx and the feed stores are closed until Monday. I'll keep an eye on her until then and continue to treat the eye with the terramycin. Thank you so much for all the info!!!!

 

[LALADY1101]

Quote:
What would cause a Vit A deficiency? How do I know and how do I remedy that? Her eye seems a little sunken in.....maybe an injury or would an infection cause that?

 

[threehorses]

This seems more and more like an injury, but of course keep a look out for respiratory.

The vitamin A deficiency happens sometimes because of either the feed being mismixed, or the degradation of vitamin A in the feed.

Feed manufacturers as a rule add enough extra vitamin A to make up for usual degradation in feeds. However, feed stores and wholesale middlemen don't always store their feed cool, turn it over quick enough, etc. Add to that the fact that when the feed gets home, it is also not always stored correctly (in a cool, dark, air-tight container) nor used quickly (within one month of purchase).

And if that weren't enough, vitamin A readily degrades in light. So if people leave out a week's worth of food, the vitamin A degrades.

So that's how it usually happens.

Sometimes, in very young birds, the problems starts in the egg as many people feed layer for breeders when really a layer-breeder food is more appropriate for putting the nutrition in the yolk to get the foundation of a baby really strong. So they come out slightly behind. The feed doesn't help (maybe sold in paper bags out of the original containers - or worse - see-through baggies from hatcheries - shame shame). And their needs exceed the input. Over time, they need more and more (particularly if there are any respiratory challenges like dust and fungus or disease) and then you get a deficiency.

Fortunately, unless in advanced stages, vitamin A deficiencies are pretty darn easy to treat. The problem lays in the secondary issues and a lack of correct diagnosis because of the similarity to other respiratory illnesses.

That's exactly why when I treat a respiratory illness here, I bombard the illness from all sides: nutritionally, medicinally, through supports like VetRx and OACV, etc. I am not psychic, I have a lot of experience but no blood lab here, and so I just hedge all my bets. Additionally, Vitamin A is the target vitamin for respiratory and ocular health - so it helps respiratory and ocular healing. Becuase it is an oil vitamin (ADEK) however, and you can overdose it, I am careful with how much I give.

Your best bet with your own flock is smelling the food when you get it (it should smell strongly of fresh ingredients, never of cardboard or bag). Check the date on the bag for freshness. Buy only enough to use within the month. Store inside a cool place in an airtight and light-proof and predator proof container off of the ground (mildew from condensation on the ground and bottom of the container) on a pallet or on concrete. Check the bag always to see if it looks like it's been wet and dried, for any little holes (weevils), or dust. Don't buy feed in second-hand packaging.

Other than that, using a good supplement like aviacharge or fortified wheat germ oil occassionally (maybe a monthly tune-up) really has helped especially with breeders.

 

[BigSoftee]

Interesting ... I have a new layer in the flock (a white leghorn). She was given to us along with a few others (there were all kinds of problems with this flock - two of the birds had CRD and passed from it, one of the two with CRD was either so heavy she couldn't walk, or had a bad leg and got heavy from not being able to walk - couldn't tell).

My white leghorn has a sunken eye as well, some days it is more raised than others. There is no aparent discharge, and as it has been this way for some time I don't know that it's an injury (although it may be the result of an injury). The eye is still intact, although quite sunken into the skull - I'm going to take a look at that Vitamin A as well, seems like it could be a good place to start.