Abscess near chicks eye....HELP!

[NC29mom]

Ok....so one of my fiance's chicks (1 of the runts out of 200+), has an abscess near her L eye. She's probably 4 months old. Noticed it about 4-5 days ago. Started treating her yesterday with Tylan injectable antibiotics, and I put a little Tetracycline in her drinking water (after I secluded her from the rest of the flock). It's a pretty big abscess, probably the size of a dime. And, of course, her eye is swollen shut. I'm very concened. Today, I gave her another shot of Tylan. BUT, I can't seem to find any muscle on her, and was scared to death I would puncture a vital organ, so I administered the injection just under her skin (near breast bone). I've not noted any improvement. Today, I also placed a bit of Bacitracin ointment on the area.

I was reading some of the other posts, which suggest performing an incision and drainage. I'm not really crazy about having to do it, but I will if I have to. I am a nurse by profession, so I have a little bit of skills. I guess my only concern would be any pain I would cause to the little girl. With humans, we pack the wound after performing an incision and drainage. I read to just leave it open? And, swab with Betadine? Then, use Bacitracin again? Can you use Neosporin with pain relief? Any other suggestions? I'm really dreading this...........We've had chickens for several years now, but never had to do anything this extreme......

Thanks in advance.

 

[gboston1970]

Could it possibly be a eye worm?

 

[gboston1970]

if so here is one solution.

 

[gboston1970]

When a chicken eats an infective roach, worm larvae migrate up the esophageus to the mouth, through the tear duct, and into the eye
Wild birds are also infected by eye worm and may help spread it to chicken flocks

Controlling roaches around the hen house controls eye worm

Veterinary treatment, usually reserved for valuable birds, involves applying a local anaesthetic to the eye, carefully lifting the third eyelid, applying 1 or 2 drops of 5 percent cresol solution, and immediately flushing out the eye with clean water

If the eye is treated in the early stage of infection, it should clear up in 2 or 3 days

An alternative (unapproved) treatment involves putting 3 drops of ivermectin into the chickenâ€

s eye, twice a day, until the eye worms are gone

This is a treatment for eye worm recommended by a vet
The hen was treated for a swollen eye-lid with suspected eye worm infection
Use a diluted solution of Ivomec.
The solution recommended by a bird vet
1 cc of Ivomec injectable, mixed with 4 parts mineral oil.
Apply 3 drops of this diluted solution to the very top of the birdâ€

s head (close to the eye, but not in the eye).
Do this twice, five days apart.
Also, treated all the birds with an antibiotic in their water for 8 days.

 

[dawg53]

Most likely you bird was pecked hard by another bird and it is swollen. You can lance it and push the liquid in a downward motion. Then put regular neosporin in and around the eye, it will melt which is normal.
If it was eyeworm, you'd be able to see it, usually in the lower corner of the eye in the front. It is white in color, very thin. Notice the eyeworm in the pic, above the thumbnail and one in the front lower corner of the chickens eye. Chickens will also scratch their eye if eyeworm(s) are present.

 

[NC29mom]

No, it's not eyeworm...but WOW...never heard of that before....learn sometthing new everyday. It's an abscess. I've seen my fair share as a nurse, so I feel pretty confident about the diagnosis. I have to go to town today, and could get some Gentimycin eye drops/ointment at TSC.

And, I'm pretty sure she was pecked. She is one of the runts out of >200 chicks. I keep getting on my fiance about needing to expand the coop. He's lost about 3 because they got trampled.

So, I should do the incision and drainage then, right?

Thanks for your help, and the awsome information.

 

[NC29mom]

 

[kiachian]

Did you ever find out what was wrong with your chick? I have a 5 month old rooster with the same eye issue.
thanks!

 

[ttrose]

I'm having the same problem as well. Any advice would be helpful. Have my sweet chicken on antibiotics and still not better.

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm having the same problem as well. Any advice would be helpful. Have my sweet chicken on antibiotics and still not better.

You might want to start a new thread with more information (age, all symptoms, what meds you are giving, how long, etc.) since this sounds like a possible respiratory disease, and you may receive more attention. Here is the link to post: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/threads/add/forumId/10