Baby Chick With Eye Problem

[mlowarren]

Hi everyone! I already posted this in the Raising Baby Chicks section, but someone told me I might have better luck here...

I have a 2 day old chick that seems to have a problem with her right eye - it's watery and she keeps scratching at it. Whenever I look at it more closely, it looks like she has just scratched some of her fluff into her eye, so I'll brush it out for her...but it keeps watering, and she keeps scratching at it! She is acting normally other than that...does anyone know what is wrong with her eye??

Thanks in advance!!

 

[AngelzFyre]

She very well may have gotten her feathers into her eye and scratched the cornea while scratching to get it out.
You can get some sterile saline or eye solution at local pharmacy or Walmart and flush it with that and then put some opthalmic ointment into it. Make sure it does NOT have a steroid in it in case she did scratch the cornea. You can get terramycin ointment at most feed stores or online or if you can't find that, use artificial tears to keep the eye lubricated. You can call your vet and see if they will dispense a triple antibiotic opthalmic ointment to you also. If they know you well enough, some will dispense the opthalmic ointments with antibiotics..but most will not dispense an eye ointment with steroids unless they've stained the cornea to make sure there's no scratch.
Eye ointments with steroids can only be used in those situations when there is irritation..but no injury to the cornea. If they are put in an eye with a corneal scratch, you can loose the eye fast.
Hope this helps!

 

[mlowarren]

Thank you soo much!! I will follow your instructions to the letter! This is the very first chick that I have ever hatched, so she's pretty special to me

Thanks again and God bless!!

 

[mlowarren]

Hey I just realized we are neighbors! I live in Clay!

 

[AngelzFyre]

You're very welcome!
Clay isn't too far from where I work in Moody

.

 

[mlowarren]

Oh yeah! We are in Moody a lot - especially since that's where the closest TSC is

Let me know if you are ever in the market for some white Silkies!

 

[AngelzFyre]

Online the TSC does carry terramycin eye ointment. It's 13.99 plus tax.

I'm off to the outdoors with the dogs...great to meet you!

Will do about the Silkies

). They are adorable.

 

[mlowarren]

Nice to meet you and thanks again!!! Have a great day!