Advice needed please !!! Problem with eyes ???!!!

[jalal75]

I used to keep chickens (70+) in the UK for 3 years and never had this. 3 weeks ago my rooster very quickly developed what appeared to be an eye infection, it had problems opening his eye and there was white puss. I gave him a dose of eye drops and the next day he seemed to be improving, His eye seemed much better but within a couple of days he started tossing his head and became listless and stopped eating/drinking, after this He died quickly. I assumed that perhaps the infection had gone to his brain?? Believing it to be an isolated incident I didn't look into it any further. Now 3 weeks later I just realised today that one of my layer hens has an eye that has gone glazed white and the pupil is not focussing. It is not the same as the roosters symptom but I feel it is related maybe?

Does anyone have any experience with this. I would appreciate some solid advise. I now live in Spain and it is not as easy as the UK to get good advise.

 

[ChicKat]

jalal, Hi and welcome to the BYC forum.

so sorry that you lost your rooster. I think too that the UK has some very effective chicken keeping systems and medications in place. There is a form of a disease called Marek's disease that affects the eyes. Very possible this or some other afliction could be affecting your hen. Here is a link to something that may give you some ideas of the symptoms.

This link has a photograph of a chicken with eye involvement:
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/203602.htm&word=marek

Your rooster could have a number of problems causing his eye appearing to be infected - including an injury and the infection could have been the cause of his death. There is also an eye problem called eye worm.

Here is a link with some information...but not the best:

http://www.ehow.com/info_10073623_treatments-eye-worms-chickens.html

you could do a google or bing search and perhaps get better information including photo of eye worm. You could also search here on byc forum. I had a case of it some time ago. The surinam cockroach is one of the hosts for manson's eye worm. Here is an article by him from the early 20th century and I believe this was written before they discovered that the cockroach was part of the parasite's life cycle.
http://archive.org/details/mansonseyewormof00rommiala
In the Philippines there is a product called Oxyrid-- it is an eye drop. Two drops cure the eyeworm and one drop once per month prevents it. Moving to a warmer climate may present the opportunity for this parasite to infect your chickens.

Hope these ideas will help you find the answers that you need.

 

[jalal75]

Thankyou very much for the info. After checking the links I think perhaps the rooster had eye worm.

I know it wont be to everyones liking , but the hen ended up in the pot. I'll keep a close eye on the rest of the flock.

Thanks again. Was good information.

 

[ChicKat]

You are welcome....

a saline eye-wash will help get rid of the worms....and there is a product in the USA called VetRx that is administered in the chickens' beak. Eye worms is one of the reasons that I have a regular worming schedule for my chickens. You may also be able to get a product called 'Oxy-rid'.

Sorry you lost them...but most of us like chicken on the table as well as for pets and eggs. .