BAD eye...Can anyone tell me what this is and/or how to treat it

[momiphouph]

Yesterday her eye looked a little puffy and today it looks like this, can anyone tell me how to treat it and/ or what it is? Im not sure if it is an injury or some kind of infection. Other than her eye everything else seems normal. Thank you in advance!!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Hmmm, maybe Fowl Pox? I put black liquid shoe polish on my birds when they get the pox spots on their combs, but I don't know what to do if it's around the eye. Maybe the Terramycin antibiotic eye ointment? I'm just guessing here.

 

[chickenzoo]

I'd flush her eye with Saline and then apply Neosporine(no pain killer kind) to her eye. If you have the Terrimycian eye meds, use that instead. Does she feel hot to the touch, well hotter than normal........... Any other symptoms besides her eye?

 

[silkiechicken]

All I can think is something irritated her eye, maybe a chicken version of a sty, and she has kept scratching at it, thus leading to a local infection. Saline flush and eye ointment is what I would try, and then see if her eye is intact.

 

[momiphouph]

Thank you all for your responses...Her eye is still intact its just her eye lid and and the area around her eye. Her other eye is just fine and she does not seem hot at all, and acts normal. So I am thinking you are right that it is possibly just a local infection or a sty. I wasnt sure if I could use neosporine on her eye so that is very helpful.. just not the not pain kind.
What is Fowl pox? If she had that would it show anywhere else besides the eye? We are heading to the store for the eye meds so hopefully we can find some.
Thank you all for your help!!! Its soooo great to have you all here to come to for help with our little flock! BYC ROCKS!

 

[Sunny Side Up]

There's some good info about Fowl Pox/Avian Pox here on the forum. It's something chickens get from mosquitoes and it can leave scabby bumps on their combs, sometimes around their eyes & nostrils. Often the birds can fight it off by themselves, some do better when treated. That was just my wild guess about your bird, but I couldn't be sure. It does look more yellow/infected than what I usually see with Fowl Pox. This is just my $.02 worth, I think the other folks have better suggestions for your bird. I wish her a complete recovery.

 

[momiphouph]

Thanks Sunny side up... Im really curious about the fowl pox.. I did notice a white dot on her waddle but didnt think anything of it until you posted, Ive been looking up info on the Fowl pox and whether she has it or not its good to know it is out there and be on the look out for it. I am going to check her again in the morning and do a bit more research, better to be on the safe side. If it is Fowl pox should I seperate her from the others? Is it contagious? Im still learning Alot!!! Ive looked up a bit on the forum but I think its to late for my brain to focus so I will try again in the morning. Thank you again!

 

[onthespot]

For what it is worth, I have had three pullets get avian pox right on their eyelids and they scabbed over and their eyes got scabbed shut for a week. I thought they would lose their eye. They didn't. After they healed, the eye was opened again and it looked perfectly normal. I picked the first one's scab to see if I could open the eye. It bled, the eye did not open, and it took three times as long to heal. If it is avian pox and their eye gets scabbed closed, leave it alone. The eye will be fine.

 

[Sunny Side Up]

My birds seem to be able to recover from Fowl Pox on their own. If they really have a lot of sores I'll dot liquid shoe polish on them. We had one small rooster with a sore by his eye that we treated more than usual, with the polish and eye ointment. But he may have recovered anyway just on his own. Once they have it they build an immunity to it. It seems to affect the younger birds each year during the summer months when the mosquitoes are more of a problem. I wouldn't quarantine an affected bird unless its sore spots were getting pecked upon.

There is also a wet form of this virus that affects their nose & mouths. You can read more info on other threads about this, I don't know enough about it. I know one year I had some chicks that were more affected by this form and I lost several to it. I don't know if they could have been cured with some sort of treatment. I do know there's a vaccine you can use on your birds for it.

 

[momiphouph]

I just wanted to post an update... we do think it is definatly Fowl pox. Good catch sunny side up!!! We have found more sores and now her eye is scabbed shut.. as of today.

Poor girl! She is otherwise acting just fine and still laying eggs. I dont think the others are picking on her but we are watching her closely. I have one other bird that might also have it but I will check back later and see if he has anymore changes... his spots are not on his eyes, THANKFULLY!!! Thanks for all the help!!!

I just love BYC!!!