Bulging eyes in my Buff Orpington

[canadafamily]

Hello, everyone.

I've got a 5-month old Buff Orpington who has bulging eyes -- has had them for three months, or so. Until now she has seemed well enough, though her vision is imperfect (perhaps blind in one eye). Here's a photo.


For the last two days, she has been very sleepy, standing in the corner of the coop with her eyes closed. (She's sleeping in the photo even though I'm holding her in my arms.) A few minutes ago, she pooped a little bit. It was sort of pale green and very firm/dry.

Any ideas what this may be? I'd appreciate any guidance.

Lisa

 

[canadafamily]

Here's another picture of my big-eyed Buff.

Any ideas what her problem may be? I'm taking a stool sample to the vet this afternoon for a cocci test.

 

[loversday002]

Hi
i know you posted this a long time ago and im not sure how your chicken is now... did this randomly happen? or was she born like this? it may sound crazy but i have had this problem before also and my chicken is doing fine... my chicken was hatched under a jersey giant and was a cross between that and a leg horn. she was always different from the other chicks and it actually took me awhile to see her eyes were different and becoming more so with age. i put her on some meds. that i saw in tractor supply for unhealthy chickens and she seemed to act much more normal after a month or 2... ive heard of other chickens who had it and it was caused from the egg being moved around too much (theres no proof to that being true)
my chicken who had it is doing very well out on her own... but she is only friendly to people... she attacks any other chicken who walks to close :O but i love that feathered thing...
-Carly

 

[canadafamily]

Thanks so much for responding. I posted my question only a couple of hours ago, so I'm still looking for information. This Buff Orpington hatched on about March 12, and her eyes appeared normal until she was about 2 months old. Then I noticed she kept her eyes closed a lot. I started keeping close track of her development and could see that her vision was off. She might be blind in her left eye (when she pecks at food, she misses by about an inch to the left). Still, I feed her by herself so that she gets enough, and I keep an eye on her, lest the others hurt her (they peck her pretty frequently).

Then, over the last couple of days, I've noticed she's sleeping a lot. She'll just stand in one place in the coop (she doesn't come out as much as she used to) and appears to be dozing off. I brought her in the house this morning and could see that her poop was really dry and almost crumbly -- sort of pale green-gray. I gave her a little cooked apple to help loosen her GI tract, but I haven't noticed much difference.

Does any of this sound familiar? Is it possible her bulgy eyes could have been caused by head trauma? My dog got a hold of one of the chicks early on; I intervened and rescued the chick, but her head was bleeding slightly. I lost track of which chick it was (I've got 16 nearly identical Buffs), but I've wondered if the dog caused some structural damage to her little head.

I plan to take a stool sample to the vet this afternoon.

I appreciate any guidance you can offer.

Lisa

 

[loversday002]

oh your welcome and hmm... the dryness to the stool may be because she hasnt gotten a lot of water have you tried bringing water to her and seeing if she will drink any? and if the brain swelled when she was a chick it could be possable it caused her eyes to bulge (to me it would make sence but im no doctor xD) i also learned that when i chicken is under stress it will stand in one place and keep its eyes closed.... but if your chicken ends up laying on her side thats a bad sign... if she starts pulling feathers it could mean shes stressed also... does she fly up on a perch at night? or does she stay on the ground?
ill do some research and ill get back to you as soon as possable

 

[loversday002]

it could be a thyriod problem... if so she just needs medication...

 

[Bocktobery 10]

When I found your photo, I was really hoping that someone would have some definite problem identified because I have a small 3 day old chick that has something similar. I'm just bumping this thread so that maybe someone else could see it and comment. I don't have any idea what could have happened to your hen- Was she always like this? I mean when she was a chick- did she have the same problems?

WIth mine, it also poops green yellowish poop. At first though it was white and pasty. Then it was watery and white, then turned to the green. This was after I started to force feed it water and watered down yogurt, egg yolk, vitamin E oil, and olive oil with medicated feed softened in it. I was told at the feed store that it had pasty butt, but I didn't have any problems with it when I got her home with pasty poo. Her umbilical cord (belly button) area was red and inflamed. She does not move to go get food and I think that since I brought her home that her eyes started bulging just like yours in the photo. I have her separated from my other chicks and flock. She is mostly listless, sleeps but when disturbed tries to get up. It also seems she can't tilt her neck back to drink well.

Honestly, mine looks like it might be suffering from some sort of hydrocephalus. Its eyes look low and bulging. Maybe that is what your hen had? I'd be interested to hear any replies to your post. I am assuming with this one that maybe an infection entered through its umbilical cord and now the swelling has gone to the brain. Oh I should say that my chick is a Salmon Faverolle. I'll probably be making a post about her soon. Just trying to do my research on what it may be and came across your photo.

 

[ellend]

Increased intracranial pressure from injury or deformation (a narrowing in the spine at the base of the skull?) Eye worm? In humans exopthalmus (pop-eyes) is from a thyroid condition. Have you checked to see if there is anything visible inside the lower lids, or in the eye itself? Look for something white that shouldn't be there, just in case it's eye worm. I don't know if we even get that here, or if it's always tropical.

 

[KBG204]

I have read that the bulging eyes are a side affect of pressure on the brain.

 

[FandangoRanch]

I have a Buff Orpington about 6 weeks old who has recently developed the bulging eyes like in your photo. I thought it was Ocular Marek's because another chick at the same time became paralyzed in the legs but I understand that with Marek's the pupil becomes irregularly shaped and the eyes get cloudy and that is not happening with my chick. This is day 5 since I discovered it. Have administered injectible oxytetracycline but honestly can't say there has been much if any improvement and I will give him a second injection tonight as it is to be given every 72 hours. Have you found out what is wrong with your chick?