Chicken not opening one eye, a little lethargic

[gottsegnet]

One of my pullets didn't come out to eat this morning with the others so we caught it to take a look at her. She seemed fine, though it concerned me that she was so easy to catch. I had thought it odd that for the last week she roosted away from the other birds, on the floor in a corner or behind anything she can hide behind.

We removed her and she immediately perked up when we gave her food and water. But then we noticed that she wasn't opening one eye. We pulled it open and it seemed clear and watching her, we saw her open it on her own occasionally but not often. There is a little bit of crusty stuff in her muff, but not much and it isn't all over her eye.

She's not coughing or sneezing. She makes soft little clucking noises when I walk in to check on her but she is eating and drinking.

Any ideas? What can I flush her eye with? And should I put anything on it?

 

[thegoldengirls]

I would think a regular saline solution would be fine.
Just make sure she's dry before putting her back with the others or they will peck at it.
She may have something irritating it, or maybe the others have pecked at her.
Unless there is some kind of injury, I'm not sure there is anything you could really put on it to help it along.

Best of luck!

 

[gottsegnet]

Thanks. We've been doing a lot of work on the hen house so I'm sort of hoping she's got some dust or irritation. But it seemed odd that she still wouldn't join the others for breakfast and that she'd have gone so long not roosting with the others.

Now I'm upset I didn't check her sooner. But the pullets can't seem to decide where they want to sleep. The hens always sleep in the same place, and everyone else just keeps moving.

 

[thegoldengirls]

Just wondering how your pullet is doing?

 

[gottsegnet]

She's still alive, which is a bonus, I guess. She's eating and drinking but still not opening the one eye. There are no other symptoms though. I'm beginning to wonder if it isn't an injury.