Chick with Swollen Eye

[classicsredone]

I came home today to find my little girl with a swollen eye. She is in a brooder with 9 others the same age.

1) What type of bird , age and weight.
Silver Spangled Hamburg, 3 weeks old

2) What is the behavior, exactly.
Swollen eye. She's been taking it easy but ran around some with the other girls when I gave them food.

3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms
This happened sometime this afternoon.

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?
No- the other birds are fine.

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.
Swollen eye, otherwise no signs of trauma. She can open the eye completely, but it appears irritated.

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.
Not sure, unless she got something in it, or was pecked.

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.
Start and grow crumbles, wheat grass sprouts, yogurt.

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.
Normal.

9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
Moved her to her own brooder with food and the usual water with garlic.

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
Treat at home.

11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
Included below.

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use
Cardboard brooder with pine shavings. (The larger size so that they won't eat them.)

Here are some pictures. She wasn't too please about having a camera in her face.

Her good side:

widdle3 by JJordanPhotography, on Flickr

The bad side:

widdle2 by JJordanPhotography, on Flickr


widdle1 by JJordanPhotography, on Flickr

Thank you in advance for the help!

 

[purpletree23]

If you are feeding wheat grass sprouts are you also feeding chick grit? If not stop the sprouts for a few days and sprinkle the grit on top of their crumbles (the grit is red). Let them get some grit into their system and them you can feed them the sprouts again.

Are you feeding medicated feed?

 

[easttxchick]

I would suspect an eye peck in a little one like that. Hopefully that's all it is.
She's adorable.

 

[classicsredone]

Yes, they get chick grit. They were vaccinated against Marek's and Coccidiosis, so they are not on medicated feed.

 

[Miss Lydia]

you might try putting a little neosporin w/o pain killer around the eye, if it was pecked this could help keep down infection ,and it won't hurt to get a little inside the eye also.. and she is adorable.

 

[classicsredone]

Thank you! Okay...I carefully put some Neosporin in, and gently pulled the lid down and let it shut so that some would get into her eye. Hopefully keeping it moist and clean, and letting her rest will help. After losing so many of her litter mates, I don't want to lose anymore girlies.

 

[easttxchick]

Quote:
What did you lose the others to? Was it in shipping?
Just want to make sure it wasn't something that could be causing the eye swelling in your baby.

 

[classicsredone]

Quote:
What did you lose the others to? Was it in shipping?
Just want to make sure it wasn't something that could be causing the eye swelling in your baby.

The brainiacs at the post office put our chicks out on a regular mail truck for delivery instead of calling. They were so chilled that 8 were dead when I got the box, and I could barely tell if they were alive. We lost most of them in the next 24 hours.

 

[purpletree23]

IMHO I think she has Corza....My Poultry Science book says that the symptoms are swollen eyes, nasal discharge, offensive odor and sometimes gasping. Very contagious. All of your chicks will have to be treated. There are a number of antibiotics out there. Farm stores in different states carry different drugs. I would use Tylan (and have) but I have to order it online. If it is corza your flock will be carriers for life.

The best test I know for corza is to smell the chicks head. If there is an odor around the nose/mouth then this is probably what you are looking at.

DON'T take my word %100 . Do your own research and make up your own mind. This is just what I think it is.

 

[easttxchick]

Quote:
What did you lose the others to? Was it in shipping?
Just want to make sure it wasn't something that could be causing the eye swelling in your baby.

The brainiacs at the post office put our chicks out on a regular mail truck for delivery instead of calling. They were so chilled that 8 were dead when I got the box, and I could barely tell if they were alive. We lost most of them in the next 24 hours.

OK, good information, I just wanted to be sure.
Sorry about the loss, though. That is sure frustrating.