Chick with itchy eyes?? or is it something more serious??

[Cadeau]

Yesterday morning, I noticed one of my almost 2 week old chicks started itching her eyes - so much that she made irritated areas just behind her eye (feathers rubbed off, made a scab, no bleeding)

Yesterday evening, she was itching so much, her right eye was swollen and inflamed and was drawing blood with her scratching, which, of course is no good with chicks...so she's in the "hospital"

She seemed otherwise bright and fine - eating, drinking, pooping, taking care of her feathers... I sat and watched for several hours throughout the day (chicks! can watch them forever!) She wasn't frantically scratching, but consistently scratched at either eye about 1x every 10+ minutes. She still slept as usual and wasn't interrupted by scratching.

I did a search on BYC and found answers from:
"clean and put ointment in it" to "necropsy and treat the rest" to "cull"

Since there was no runny nose, no crusty nose, no bubbling eye as mentioned in the more extreme answers, I opted to clean and ointment.
No new birds, no other sick birds, no other inflamed eyes

Today, the eye was much less swollen, but still inflamed enough that the eye is shut (can open a bit)

I was hoping she got something in it....


BUT - tonight on night check and 3rd cleaning/ointment, she had her other eye all scratched up...

The original eye continues to look better - less inflamed, but still shut and she's not scratching at it much at all. No new blood, no discharge.

Could she have an allergy?
I read it could be ammonia, so cleaned their brooder (big water tank) really good and put on the fans to circulate the air (chicks not drafty)

It is worse after cleaning the tub - could she be allergic to the pine bedding? (commercial)

What can I do for her?
Any suggestions would be great! (even if it is to medicate/fumigate/cull)
Thanks!

 

[froggiesheins]

This is a shot in the dark, but possible mite/lice in the shavings that are getting on her?? That could cause scratching. I have a horse and there are times that she gets bit up on her body from new shavings.
If you see any of those varmints crawling on her [check under wings/by vent and face] then she and all other birds need a dusting in DE or poultry garden dust etc.... DUMP the shavings and get a new bag and dust the new shavings. I hope this helps.

 

[elianatena93]

Yesterday morning, I noticed one of my almost 2 week old chicks started itching her eyes - so much that she made irritated areas just behind her eye (feathers rubbed off, made a scab, no bleeding)

Yesterday evening, she was itching so much, her right eye was swollen and inflamed and was drawing blood with her scratching, which, of course is no good with chicks...so she's in the "hospital"

She seemed otherwise bright and fine - eating, drinking, pooping, taking care of her feathers... I sat and watched for several hours throughout the day (chicks! can watch them forever!) She wasn't frantically scratching, but consistently scratched at either eye about 1x every 10+ minutes. She still slept as usual and wasn't interrupted by scratching.

I did a search on BYC and found answers from:
"clean and put ointment in it" to "necropsy and treat the rest" to "cull"

Since there was no runny nose, no crusty nose, no bubbling eye as mentioned in the more extreme answers, I opted to clean and ointment.
No new birds, no other sick birds, no other inflamed eyes

Today, the eye was much less swollen, but still inflamed enough that the eye is shut (can open a bit)

I was hoping she got something in it....


BUT - tonight on night check and 3rd cleaning/ointment, she had her other eye all scratched up...

The original eye continues to look better - less inflamed, but still shut and she's not scratching at it much at all. No new blood, no discharge.

Could she have an allergy?
I read it could be ammonia, so cleaned their brooder (big water tank) really good and put on the fans to circulate the air (chicks not drafty)

It is worse after cleaning the tub - could she be allergic to the pine bedding? (commercial)

What can I do for her?
Any suggestions would be great! (even if it is to medicate/fumigate/cull)
Thanks!

Did your chick get better from the itchy eyes I have one the same and what ointment did you use?

 

[ksbkeys]

Yesterday morning, I noticed one of my almost 2 week old chicks started itching her eyes - so much that she made irritated areas just behind her eye (feathers rubbed off, made a scab, no bleeding)

Yesterday evening, she was itching so much, her right eye was swollen and inflamed and was drawing blood with her scratching, which, of course is no good with chicks...so she's in the "hospital"

She seemed otherwise bright and fine - eating, drinking, pooping, taking care of her feathers... I sat and watched for several hours throughout the day (chicks! can watch them forever!) She wasn't frantically scratching, but consistently scratched at either eye about 1x every 10+ minutes. She still slept as usual and wasn't interrupted by scratching.

I did a search on BYC and found answers from:
"clean and put ointment in it" to "necropsy and treat the rest" to "cull"

Since there was no runny nose, no crusty nose, no bubbling eye as mentioned in the more extreme answers, I opted to clean and ointment.
No new birds, no other sick birds, no other inflamed eyes

Today, the eye was much less swollen, but still inflamed enough that the eye is shut (can open a bit)

I was hoping she got something in it....


BUT - tonight on night check and 3rd cleaning/ointment, she had her other eye all scratched up...

The original eye continues to look better - less inflamed, but still shut and she's not scratching at it much at all. No new blood, no discharge.

Could she have an allergy?
I read it could be ammonia, so cleaned their brooder (big water tank) really good and put on the fans to circulate the air (chicks not drafty)

It is worse after cleaning the tub - could she be allergic to the pine bedding? (commercial)

What can I do for her?
Any suggestions would be great! (even if it is to medicate/fumigate/cull)
Thanks!

Just as a test to see if she is allergic to the shavings, you could use some different bedding in a new container that has had no shavings in it yet. Not sure what could work for temporary bedding? Maybe even shredded paper? Just to test for this allergy?