Bubbles in the eye every now and then?

[A.M. Eggs]

One of my buff orpingtons (Scruffy) has this strange bubbling problem with one of her eyes. She has had this problem ever since she was a chick. She is now 20 weeks old and is doing normal chicken things, but the bubbling of her eye has not gone away. She hasn't shown any other symptoms and the rest of my flock does not have the eye bubbles. Is it a genetics thing or something else? If need be, I can take a picture later.

 

[azygous]

Bubbles in the eye isn't always from a respiratory infection. It can be from an eye irritation.

Since Scruffy has had it since chickhood, it's either a genetic anomaly or a cyst in the ocular cavity putting pressure on the eye, causing tearing and bubbling.

I have a ten-year old hen that began developing a tumor over her eye five years ago. It's very slow growing and doesn't seem to cause her any problems other than tearing and occasional bubbling in the eye. I use a steroid eye drop in the eye every few weeks if the bubbling seems especially pronounced. It makes the bubbling stop.

As long as Scruffy is leading a normal chicken life, I wouldn't worry about it unless you start seeing swelling of the facial tissue or around the eye socket.

 

[A.M. Eggs]

Thank you!

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Scruffy! The cutest chicken name ever!!

It sounds like good news, then. Informative post as always, @azygous.