Chicken attacked by ducks and other chickens... swollen eyes or CORYZA?

[Chick-n-mama]

Hello all,

My brother gave us 1 of his chickens cuz he lost the rest from a raccoon attack. The new chicken was chillin with the rest of the flock (13 chickens) and the 2 ducks (Peking male and female) we have for 3 days w/o any issues. All our ducks and chickens have been harmoniously living together for 5 or more months now w/o issues. We went out of town on the 3rd night and came back to a jacked up chicken the next afternoon. Our landlords who we share our property with and who look after our animals when we are gone told us they saw the ducks chasing her earlier in the day. When we found her we immediately isolated her, cut back feathers to assess damages and clean out dirt from her mouth and nostrils with Q-tips and water. We used vetrycin, Terrymiacine, gave her electrolytes with vitamins, some water (she is still only drinking from a syringe) and got her under the heat lamp. We didn't do much else because she was already so traumatized. This all happened on Sunday 3/4/18. We have been giving her egg yolk for food out of the syringe also. After 3 days we decided to try to get at least 1 of her eyes opened. They were both kinda scabby and one was so swollen so much that it is bulged out and looks just like all the Coryza chicken eyes I have been seeing on videos and pics. We used warm water and a little extra Terrymiacine to get her eye lubed to eventually get the less swollen side opened. When she was finally able to see she ate mashed up chick starter with egg yolk on her own...Yay! I thought sweet, this is a big deal. 1 eye is better than NO eyes right? Anyways, the following morning both eyes were shut again. So we decided to do the same thing to the less swollen eye. I noticed she is sleeping an awe full lot and going in and out of being awake. Almost like narcolepsy? Also she is not eating unless I shove food in front of her but this could be due to her not having any eyesight? My question is this: Does she have injured eyes and is still recovering from the attack or does she have CORYZA! Is that why my ducks attacked her because she is diseased? I don't want to mess up the healing process if her eyes are just swollen, plus there are scabs on her face and around her ears on both sides. I see the natural remedies out there with Pro-biotics and anti-fungal. What else is there anti-biotic wise? I don't normally go that route but I may this time. How likely is it that my other chickens have this now? As far as I can tell they are all fine so far. I want to mention that I have 2 polish chickens and the injured one idk what kind she is but all 3 have feathers that make seeing their eyes very hard for me to to see. I am considering taking the injured chicken to the vet soon if the swelling doesn't go down and she is unable to see. I will post a picture as soon as I get home to get one which I think will help. ANY input is greatly appreciated! These forums have been very helpful! Thank you all so much... Love to da flock. xo

 

[Chick-n-mama]

Anybody?

 

[Eggcessive]

Her eyes may just be pecked, swollen and scabbed. Respiratory diseases have symptoms, such as cough or sneezing, nasal drainage, and rattly or wheezy breathing—each symptom goes with whatever disease. Coryza smells rotten, and causes thick yellow nasal drainage, and swelling of the eyelids with pus formation.

You may want to rinse eye with saline or do warm soaks to her eyes, and get some terramycin eye ointment from your feed store to put into the eyes twice a day.

 

[Chick-n-mama]

We have been doing all that you suggested. Since there is no yellow discharge from her nose and not any white puss coming out from either eye when I apply pressure that may be a good sign right? The 1 eye we have been able to open keeps closing and the swollen one has not gone down in swelling at all. It is really puffed out. Concerned they may heal shut and she will have no eyes, not even on the side of the one that is there. The soaking of the eyes, saline and terramycin we have been doing for 3-4 days now. I will post a close up (advisory- she is knarly looking) and that will help I'm sure. Thank you so much for your input! Nice egg selection btw!

 

[Chick-n-mama]

 

[Chick-n-mama]

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[Chick-n-mama]

She hasn't been eating on her own. We gave her raw egg the 1st few days and water with electrolytes & vitamins. The last 3 days we have been giving her applesauce with chick starter mashed up with apple cider vinegar and pro biotics, electrolytes and vitamins with a syringe. She can open her eye but she chooses not to. She sleeps all day and dozes off even if u are lifting her wing or whatever. Tail down head down. Not sure if she is recuperating and sleeping to get better or has something seriously wrong with her. The attack happened a week ago today. Any opinions on what to do or NOT to do are greatly appreciated! Also we checked to make sure she is not egg bound for some strange reason... then I read she should not be laying after a traumatic experience anyways? Thanks...

 

[Eggcessive]

I am sorry that I did not see your last two updates. I think I would apply some warm wet compresses, such as a washcloth held to her face to soften those crusts, and that should keep her eye open. They won’t grow together, but the crust could keep her from opening them.
I would Google Casportpony’s thread on learning to tube feed called “Go team tube feeding,” and perhaps look at some YouTube videos of crop feeding. You can purchase a feeding tube and large syringe from a vet, or make one out of aquarium air tubing. Those air tubes will only allow fluids and very thin foods, but that can keep her nourished. The green poop shows that she does not get enough food. I hope that she gets better soon. Hold some chopped egg up to her beak and give her sips of water with electrolytes with a small measuring scoop.

 

[Chick-n-mama]

I am sorry that I did not see your last two updates. I think I would apply some warm wet compresses, such as a washcloth held to her face to soften those crusts, and that should keep her eye open. They won’t grow together, but the crust could keep her from opening them.
I would Google Casportpony’s thread on learning to tube feed called “Go team tube feeding,” and perhaps look at some YouTube videos of crop feeding. You can purchase a feeding tube and large syringe from a vet, or make one out of aquarium air tubing. Those air tubes will only allow fluids and very thin foods, but that can keep her nourished. The green poop shows that she does not get enough food. I hope that she gets better soon. Hold some chopped egg up to her beak and give her sips of water with electrolytes with a small measuring scoop.

She can open her good eye but chooses not to? We have been feeding her with an eye dropper with the end cut off so it is larger than usual. We have been giving her electrolytes, Probiotic, chick starter, mixed with apple sauce and a splach of apple cider vinegar. I will check out the thread on tube feeding. She really is reluctant to eat anything we put up to her beak even when her 1 eye is opened a crack and she looks around like she can see. Instead she dozes off and her head and beak hang down going right into the little bowl or spoon or whatever and she doesn't seem to want to eat or drink or anything. We thought maybe she had ecoli or some intestinal issues and that was why she was so lethargic which is why we are giving her probiotic's and apple cider vinegar. We didn't want to give her too much food, but looks like we are not giving enough. Thank you for your help! Good to know you don't think it's Coryza!

 

[Chick-n-mama]

Just wanted to update y'all on our chickens improvement! After 3 days of force feeding she started to eat on her own! We decided not to tube feed but instead we used a plastic eye dropper with the tip cut off a little too make it wide enough to pass the mash we made. The "mash" consisted of chick starter, probiotics, electrolytes & vitamins, applecider vinegar and apple sauce for taste. It took 2 of us to do a feeding. One person to hold her and open up her beak and the other to get the eye dropper in her mouth. By the 2nd day she was pooping normal. Each day we increased the amount of food by 2 extra eye droppers full. U could feel her crop when it was getting full. On the 3rd day she wasn't gonna let us do it anymore... I put her down infront of a big plastic container full of food and started mixing it up with my hand so it would make noise for her to notice it and Walla! She started eating! Ever since she has been eating on her own her scabs have been coming off and her good eye is completely healed! Her other eye is looking much better too. We are not sure if she has an eye left under the scabs but we hope so! In another week she should be fully recovered. We are so so happy and many thanks to those of you that offered advice and or informational links to help aide is in her recovery! Also if anyone needs help that I could offer thru my experience PLEASE send them my way. Thanks ALL chicken lovers... Hellen lives today because of your guidance!