Advise please! B.O. pullet has itchy eye

[JennyBean]

Hello everyone!

I just got my first 9 week old pullets on Friday. (Mixed flock) Everyone seemed fine except my Buff Orpington.

She started scratching her left eye yesterday and then it started watering.( She does seem to scratch and preen herself more than the other girls)
She is eating fine and poop looks normal. I did dust her with D.E. this morning and looked her over. I didn't seen any bugs. Her nostrils are clear, she does have some slight baldness now around that eye from scratching.The runny eye seemed to have stopped.

Do I need to be concerned. She eats,drinks then naps. She is hanging with the rest of the crew and not being picked on.However she isn't scratching around the dirt as much as the others do.. Should I be looking or treating her for anything?? Or could this be stress related. They are on electrolytes right now.

Any input is very much appreciated!!

 

[blondiebee181]

I'm no expert but it sounds like since you aren't seeing external parasites, that she got something in the eye or poked it with something that irritated it. Since the watering has stopped that's a good sign of healing....if she appears to get worse or the eye gets puffy or infected then you will have a problem. Monitor her closely and make sure she isn't being picked on or the irritated eye isn't being picked at by other birds. If it is still bothering her, consider flushing it with some clean, cool water....at least that's what I do when my eyes get itchy and irritated from allergies and it seems like a harmless enough thing to do....anyone else can jump in, like I said I'm no expert.

 

[JennyBean]

Thank you! I have some saline solution I was thinking about flushing her eye just in case. SO far no one is picking on her.

 

[blondiebee181]

Thank you! I have some saline solution I was thinking about flushing her eye just in case. SO far no one is picking on her.

Sounds like a good idea. Is the saline just salt and water? If there are other chemicals that might be in it I wouldn't be sure about...

 

[JennyBean]

Quick update on my baby Buff O.

We named her Hope.

I decided to dust her with D.E. in case I was missing seeing any bugs. I also have been cleaning her eye with saline rinse and putting bactrim eye ointment in at night. Tonight she finally started opening that eye more than she has since she arrived on Friday.

She is even feeling better now. She was playing keep away with a grape and actually being more active. So this makes me happy to see a little extra TLC and she is coming around.

That is all for now!! I just love this forum it is great!!

 

[blondiebee181]

Hooray!!