BRAND NEW CHICK - ONE CLOSED EYE?

[beautifulbirds]

Never had this before so I would appreciate some advice. Silky Hen hatched 4 chicks, mysteriously now I only have 3. I have moved her so that we keep the 3. One now has a closed eye, pretty sure it didn't have it when it first hatched. Am wondering if it is predator related, am assuming so. Question: How should I treat the closed eye?
Thanks in advance.
Lisa.

 

[Chicken Woman]

Is it puffy or is any gunk coming out of it ? Have you tried to open it ? I would put a tiny bit of antibiotic cream like neoporin on the outside and gently rub as it may be infected.

Do not us the antibiotic cream that says plus pain or that type of thing. The anti pain part is toxic to chickens !!!


Good luck with your chicks !

 

[chookee]

keep them in a predidator safe area, this includes mice; depends on the state of the eye, dont know about the cream thing...careful

 

[ddeans]

Bump

 

[AngelzFyre]

You can try flushing with a sterile eye flush solution, usually available at any drug store or Walmart etc. Then use an opthalmic ointment either triple antibiotic or even Terramycin in it for a few days. Make sure whatever eye ointment you use that it doesn't have a steroid in it in case the cornea is scratched. If it's scratched or damaged the steroid will make it worse until it's healing and the only way you can tell that is to have it fluro-stained by a vet.
Even that artificial tears ointment would be some help if you can't find anything or a vet that treats chickens. I keep some on hand for my dogs when I bathe them so the soap doesn't irritate their eyes and I've used this when I can't see an injury but there is squinting or the eye is closed. If that hasn't helped them I then go to the antibiotic opthalmic ointment.
Jeffers.com or Valleyvet.com carries eye ointments also.
HTH!

 

[mikecoscia]

Quote:
Just flushed it pretty good with some saline solution, he's opening it slightly now, but closes it up within a second or two. I will just keep rinsing it a few times a day and see what happens

.

 

[mom2chicksandpups]

I had one chick who had one closed eye and I used Terramycin ointment, which cleared the problem right up. I had actually bought it for a kitten, but it worked well for the chick also.