Chicken has eyes closed, has some kind of film over her eyes, and now keeps scratching her ear lobe

[moniqueL]

Hi, I am new to chicken raising. Got 8 Isa Brown last week, between 18 and 20 weeks old. Noticed that one chicken was not moving much with eyes closed most of the time. Also noticed that she was bullied. She will not drink. The only way she gets hydrated is when I give her watermelon. She only eats if I wake her. I did let her loose, and she would peck a bit on the ground, until she finds a spot to sleep. Decided to move her from the flock after a few days. She is now in a cage, and I make sure to feed her many times a day. Her poo looks good, sometimes watery, but most of the time ok. We are giving her polysporin in the eyes for the last few days, but does not seem to improve. Now, she is starting to scratch her ear lobe, and its starting to be a bit bloody. I did call the store where I bought her, but they have no solutions. I took a photo of her eyes, seem to have some kind of film over the iris. I do not want her to suffer, so we are thinking of putting her down if she does not get better, unless someone can enlighten us, and can offer advice. Thank you!

 

[Stipenvlerk]

Hi Monique, welcome to BYC.
I give you a bump to the top.

 

[Stipenvlerk]

How is your chicken today?

 

[GenevieveHad]

She looks like she might be blind in one eye... does she have issues with her beak?

 

[Eggcessive]

It is hard to know if she was pecked in the eye because of bullying, or if she has a disease, such as conjunctivitis (pinkeye.) She may have a catatract already. Is the other eye clear? I would be doing what you are already doing. Does she have any sneezing or congestion? Is her crop emptying normally overnight? If you should lose her, I would contact the state poultry lab for a necropsy, just to rule out something contagious.

 

[moniqueL]

She looks like she might be blind in one eye... does she have issues with her beak?

no, her beak is fine, both eyes are a problem, but it looks like she sees well.

 

[moniqueL]

How is your chicken today?

This morning, she ate for a while, then back to sleep

 

[moniqueL]

It is hard to know if she was pecked in the eye because of bullying, or if she has a disease, such as conjunctivitis (pinkeye.) She may have a catatract already. Is the other eye clear? I would be doing what you are already doing. Does she have any sneezing or congestion? Is her crop emptying normally overnight? If you should lose her, I would contact the state poultry lab for a necropsy, just to rule out something contagious.

But its both eyes that are affected. Her poo is good, and there was some this morning, not a problem. If contageaous, she came in with 7 others which seem ok, got one egg from them this morning, the first one. If pink eye, I can get something over the counter for it.

 

[Flockincrazy]

It is hard to know if she was pecked in the eye because of bullying, or if she has a disease, such as conjunctivitis (pinkeye.) She may have a catatract already. Is the other eye clear? I would be doing what you are already doing. Does she have any sneezing or congestion? Is her crop emptying normally overnight? If you should lose her, I would contact the state poultry lab for a necropsy, just to rule out something contagious.

I agree with you

 

[MysteryChicken]

I think she may have a vitamin A Deficiency. It can cause crusting of the eyes, & deterioration of the retinas. It may also cause a bird to be off balance in some cases.

It can lead to malnourishment in extreme cases, & fatigue.