Blind chickens with Swollen eyes closed

[Sogigirl]

Hello I have two chickens with swollen eyes closed. Both eyes. They cant see at all. They have no other symptoms no sneezing, wheezing or gasping and no discharge. Their eyes are very dry and swollen closed. Their spike looks rotten or something? They are eating if I put them in a small box so they can find the feed by pecking randomly until they find the rice because they cannot see. Im in Hawaii. What can I do please? They are wild backyard chickens that I feed. They are a few month old. I will attach a photo thank you

 

[Meandmyhens3]

There is a thread from 2014 about a chicken that looked just like this and there are some great answers, here’s the link, hopes it helps. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/eyes-swollen-shut-scabs.938353/

 

[Sogigirl]

Hey thank you! I took it to the feedstore and yes it has fowl pox they gave me black pepper corn

 

[Banana01]

Wild backyard chickens huh, pretty rough shape and needs some care. It's really tough to say what this is because it is almost surely dry pox, but beyond that are the other complications that have caused it to get so bad. Her scratching probably caused it to worsen, introducing bacteria into the eyes and wounds.

First thing to do is to treat for worms. Almost certainly worms have contributed to her lowered immune system and allowed this to get like this. I hope you are familiar with how to deworm so that she can get the proper medicine within 24 hours. You would have to buy dewormer, probably at the same feed store.

Then she needs lots of clean water and continued feeding the day after the worming medicine has been administered. If you can deworm and get her some nutrition, the pox and swelling should clear up, as well as the scabbing. I have treated worse scabbing using coconut oil but it wont clear up until her immune system gets boosted. Vitamins and healthy food after the worms are gone. You can put soft pieces of fish, liver, meat etc in her mouth, but lack of grit is also going to become apparent if she doesnt eat on her own within a week or so.

 

[Sogigirl]

Ok thank you so much for all the information I really appreciate it. I do not know how to deworm them but I will go to the feed store tomorrow and get some. Ive been feeding them today with a syringe with feed water mix and giving them water which they drink on their own.

I am cleaning their eyes with water and hydrogen peroxide mixture then putting neosporin ontop the scabs and giving them one black pepper capsule daily for seven days first dose today. Do you think they will be blind one the pox heals?

 

[Banana01]

Ok thank you so much for all the information I really appreciate it. I do not know how to deworm them but I will go to the feed store tomorrow and get some. Ive been feeding them today with a syringe with feed water mix and giving them water which they drink on their own.

I am cleaning their eyes with water and hydrogen peroxide mixture then putting neosporin ontop the scabs and giving them one black pepper capsule daily for seven days first dose today. Do you think they will be blind one the pox heals?

Stop hydrogen peroxide at least internally. That may cause them to become blind.

But if you can reverse the immuno comprised status, they should heal up and not be blind, but any chemical in the eyes, or even water inside is very risky to feed an infection or push it deeper.

You have to hope that the pox heals rapidly and the condition changes after deworming and feeding.

As for nutrients, even a moistened cat food is probably what a vet would recommend, if the other foods i mentioned arent available. Are you able to put food in her mouth? She will swallow food if you do it correctly.

 

[Banana01]

Ok thank you so much for all the information I really appreciate it. I do not know how to deworm them but I will go to the feed store tomorrow and get some. Ive been feeding them today with a syringe with feed water mix and giving them water which they drink on their own.

I am cleaning their eyes with water and hydrogen peroxide mixture then putting neosporin ontop the scabs and giving them one black pepper capsule daily for seven days first dose today. Do you think they will be blind one the pox heals?

Any update on your rescue? Hope she is doing better.