Attacked blind hen, update

[mateacher]

I posted yesterday about one of my hens -- she was attacked by something on Friday (possible dog, neighbor said) and now cannot open her eyes. She's recovering somewhat from her wounds on her head and breast, but her eyes continue to be shut. One showed signs of eyeball movement, but now doesn't.

Today's latest -- now when she breathes or swallows, her right eye lid swells like a balloon. Not sure what to do here.

She's being hand-fed, and we've been keeping her in our sun room away from the other chickens. We've irragted her wounds, providing vitamines in her water and antibiotics from the feed store. She's able to stand, but the eye-balloon thing is a new development.

Thanks for the advice yesterday, and any new advice would be helpful today.

 

[Schultz]

Sorry to hear about your girl, i didn't see the other post. One of our hens was attacked by a raccoon and she was left blinded in one eye. Our girl stayed in a crate with her eyes closed for almost a week, she was hand fed. One eye finally opened and she began doing everything on her own but we had to use warm water and a soft cloth to get her other eye opened. I don't know about the ballooning of the eye, I hope someone can help with that. I know their nasal cavity is very close to the eye.
Keep a chin up, our girl made it thru the ordeal so I have hope for yours!!

 

[mypicklebird]

Birds have air filled sinuses all around their eyes, there is likely trauma to one of these if you see swelling that moves when she breaths. It may seal, it may not, not much to directly do for that. This is the same type of structure that can fill with infection when they have sinus infections and people write in about the area around the eyes swelling up.

 

[mateacher]

Thanks for the input -- I'll try a warm cloth to help her eyes... and it's good to know that the ballooning effect may be from trauma to her sinuses. She seems to be breathing alright, but is stuffy sounding as she breathes, so that fits. It was so alarming to see that today, I sort of panicked a bit.

 

[mateacher]

Quote:
Thanks for the hopeful post! She's my favorite Orpington -- and it's so distressing to see her like this.

 

[Schultz]

It was heart wrenching for us too, she is my favorite Buff Orpington. Poor girl has had it rough. She is still with us and there's not a day that goes by that she doesn't make us smile. We also kept her in a dim lit room so she would rest.