Chick with a swollen eye

[newchickenmommy]

I have 7 chicks, about 3 - 4 weeks old. When I got home from work today I noticed that my little Barred Rock has one eye that looks a little swollen. The other eye looks fine and none of the other chicks have anything wrong at all.

Is there something to be concerned about?? What would cause one eye to swell up? It looks a little watery too.

 

[Gardeningmama]

Is the eye swollen, or is the sinus below the eye swollen? Above the eye? Does the nostril have any fluid when breathing out? Is it having trouble breathing, like opening it's mouth to breathe? Is it overly sleepy?

 

[Izzymoon]

Warm water on a paper towel, and dry (gently) then think layer of neosporin for a couple of days twice a day at least

 

[newchickenmommy]

Her eye is swollen, but her nostrils are fine and she isn't having trouble breathing. Her eye looks a little watery. I did a warm compress and Neosporin last night and then again tonight. She looks a little better today I think, not much but a little. Poor little thing. It looks itchy and watery. She is actually trying to scratch it from time to time.

ALSO, she might be a he. Why are so many people having trouble with Barred Rock hens? It's almost impossible to tell the roos from the hens, until it's too late. I can't have a roo where I live, and I really don't want fertile eggs either. Just noticed tonight while I was cuddling her/him to hold a warm compress on her eye that she is getting red wattles. You can just see the beginning of them. She is about 4 weeks old, and is much larger than the others and has really long legs. I only got one Barred Rock, and I really wanted it to be a hen. :-(

Thanks for the reply.

 

[newchickenmommy]

Just an update in case anyone reads this and wants to know.

I tried the Neosporin and warm compresses, to no avail. It did nothing for her. Then I called our local Farm and Garden and talked to Tom, the local Chicken expert. He told me she probably had Eye Worm, and said to get Vet RX and give it a try. I found Vet RX at Tractor Supply for $7.99. Vet RX is an all natural product that you mix with warm water, and apply it to the roof of their mouth (cleft) with a cotton swab. It smells like Vicks Vaporub. I had to treat her several times, once each day. It worked like a charm. After a couple days, it was looking MUCH better, and the swelling was going down. After about 5 treatments, her eye looks normal!

So glad I called someone who knew what to do. He also told me that you can mix Vet RX in their water if you want to treat your whole flock, or drop it right on top of their beak so it gets down in the nasal passages too.

 

[cary 1973]

so glad you found a cure for your little baby