Chicken has one swollen eye but no other major symptoms

[Madi5]

Hi! I have 2 hens that I just bought on an online auction. 2 brahmas . I am currently quarantining them. So I couldn’t tell from the pictures but the one chicken has a swollen eye and was absolutely covered in feces of what I can only assume to be hers and others. All over her back and down the side that has the swollen eye.
Symptoms at first seemed to be a little cough from both of them but went away overnight with no treatment. The next day I gave both of them a bath.
However the chickens eye remains swollen. She eats well and drinks fine, no coughing or sneezing or anything like that. Seems perky. I caught the other chicken peck her on the head once and near the eye once as well. Overall they seem to be buddies though.
I have given her terramycin ointment 2-3 times a day. Have washed it with a saline bullet, and rubbed vetrx over her little chicken head and armpits. I also put apple cider vinegar in their water.
I have never had a sick chicken before and feel myself obsessing over the worst case scenarios.
the eye is not draining, and no run off from the nose either. I have pulled the eyelid down and looked all in there and I don’t see anything. Seems like the eyelids and the front part of the red ring around her eye are swollen.
Pics attached
Possibly conjunctivitis from being pooped on?

 

[Goosebaby]

You’re right to worry, there’s a lot of nasty things chickens can give each other, and even if it turned out to be nothing it’s safer to be cautious.

I would not introduce these new girls to your flock “assuming you have more” if they were mine without testing them for viruses and mycoplasmas first. It only takes 1 sick bird to doom a flock.

 

[Madi5]

You’re right to worry, there’s a lot of nasty things chickens can give each other, and even if it turned out to be nothing it’s safer to be cautious.

I would not introduce these new girls to your flock “assuming you have more” if they were mine without testing them for viruses and mycoplasmas first. It only takes 1 sick bird to doom a flock.

Yes! I currently only have one other chicken. It is in a totally separate area. I am going to wait and see if this gets any better and maybe even separate the two that are together in case it’s just pecking damage… at least 30days of quarantining. Do vets do any special testing on chickens for this type of thing. I had laying hens growing up but we never had any issues.

 

[Aapomp831]

More than likely, since they were transported someone picked her on the eye. I would continue to do what tire doing and just observe. It doesn’t look that terrible; conjunctivitis would more than likely have drainage and discharge.

 

[Goosebaby]

Yes! I currently only have one other chicken. It is in a totally separate area. I am going to wait and see if this gets any better and maybe even separate the two that are together in case it’s just pecking damage… at least 30days of quarantining. Do vets do any special testing on chickens for this type of thing. I had laying hens growing up but we never had any issues.

Yes there’s many different tests vets can do or send off for lab testing if they don’t do it themselves, unfortunately if they use a lab prices can be pretty steep, another option is contacting veterinary colleges, UCDavis does just about any kind you can think of and their prices are more reasonable and less prone to extreme fluctuations like the private labs the vets use in my area.

https://cahfs.vetmed.ucdavis.edu/lab-tests-fees

 

[Goosebaby]

This company also does testing, http://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm

 

[Madi5]

More than likely, since they were transported someone picked her on the eye. I would continue to do what tire doing and just observe. It doesn’t look that terrible; conjunctivitis would more than likely have drainage and discharge.

I hope so! I will update the post tomorrow with more pictures! Wish me luck I'll need it.

 

[Madi5]

This company also does testing, http://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm

This is awesome! I wonder how much it costs. I will look around! I am in Ohio.

 

[Aapomp831]

I hope so! I will update the post tomorrow with more pictures! Wish me luck I'll need it.

Good luck

 

[Eggcessive]

This is awesome! I wonder how much it costs. I will look around! I am in Ohio.

The last price I heard was around $80. They send you swabs to collect from the chicken, and you return them to the lab. They will test for 8 respiratory diseases.

Swelling around an eye can be from a respiratory diseases such as MG or coryza, from a peck wound, or from getting something in the eye and causing an infection. Here is a list of common diseases and symptoms:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/ps044