Buckeye with a bad eye...

[jonalisa]

Hi all,
I went out to my chickens yesterday and noticed my Buckeye alone on the poop board while the others ate fruit and seeds on the floor. As I approached her I noticed her right eye seemed sealed shut. I brought her in the house and did my best to get a peek in the eye. She really fought me. I did get it open enough to see inside briefly and it is white inside but the white seemed further back from the opening...it looked like there was no eyeball. It was brief, so I have to wait for my husband to get home tonight to hold her and get a better look. I had some Microcyn AH Opthalmic Gel and managed to get a small drop in the eye socket last night but noticed afterward that it is expired.

I will try to get a photo of the eye open tonight, but for now here is the outside. No redness. Doesn't seem to be swollen.
She's in a crated area in my kitchen, slept all night, is eating fine (feed, chopped egg, chopped fruit). No sneezing, head-shaking, no discharge. Her movements seem fine except that since she can't see on one side and is hesitant to walk, but she's been getting in and out of the dog bed to sit and sleep.
The chickens have been "cooped" up for a week in extremely frigid temps, but the coop is a pretty big building, so no chance of them getting too close or in each other's way.
I can't put her back in as she can't see to eat and get around.
Anything I should be doing or looking for?

Edited to add: Maybe unrelated but while her poop looks normal, it smells like it came from someplace in the bowels of hell... it is beyond revolting...vomit inducing.

Thank you,
jonalisa

 

[fin-dachickmasta]

Awww I have no idea I will look something up and help you!

 

[jonalisa]

I see a lot of posts but most are when the eye is cloudy....I don't see an eye, I don't think

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I would be good to try to get a look at the eye.
Use a warm compress on the eye if it's sealed, then flush with saline. An eye ointment in the eye would be good too. Terramycin can be found at most feed store.
Having a helper would be good. Swaddle her in a towel to capture her wings, then work on the eye.

 

[jonalisa]

Thank you. I did get a better look last night and see some brown, which I think is the eye. I will do as you suggested.

 

[jonalisa]

Just an update to say that Jezebel's eye is open and looks intact. Thank you, @Wyorp Rock for the great advice. I couldn't believe my luck to have a brand new tube of Terrimycin in my cupboard! I used that and the saline 2x a day. Eye was open by day 2. She reacts when I wave something on that side, but not quite sure if she has decent vision or is reacting to shadow/movement.
We are about to be buried in snow, so I'll keep her in the house until afterwards, then transition to coop... Meanwhile, she's enjoying the best culinary abundance and sleep accomodations she's ever had... And as a very sweet, easy-going Buckeye, she deserves it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for the update!
I'm glad to hear her eye is improving. Hopefully she hasn't lost vision in the eye.
Being inside with that winter storm coming sounds wonderful! She may not want to go back outside.
Stay warm and safe!

 

[jonalisa]

Update:
I believe there is little to very poor vision in that eye - having tested her reactions.
I will have to give her a gated section of the coop and see how it goes...(At Christmas, when I was reintegrating her after a foot issue, I had another low-pecking-order hen somehow get into her area and they just hung out together, enjoying their private digs.)

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hopefully it will improve over time, but she may have lost vision. Having her own space with food/water in the same places and maybe a friend with her, she should be able to adapt. There's a few here on BYC that have birds that are basically blind, but they are able to "function" within their coop/run, the keepers just keep close check to make sure the bird is eating/drinking well, look for lice/mites, etc.

 

[jonalisa]

Update:
I believe there is little to very poor vision in that eye - having tested her reactions.
I will have to give her a gated section of the coop and see how it goes...(At Christmas, when I was reintegrating her after a foot issue, I had another low-pecking-order hen somehow get into her area and they just hung out together, enjoying their private digs.)

Update to the update:
I just heard her sneezing, I assume- and saw she's having some mucus like discharge dripping from her beak. She was up and making noise during the night and early morning...I assumed she was restless... But maybe she's sick?