Chicken with bulging eye

[Manda521]

Hello,

I just bought a house and it came with chickens. Today was my first day out there checking it all out and one of the chickens is sick. I don't really know exactly what is wrong with her, the previous homeowners are supposed to he getting back to me on that and her care but wanted to reach out and see if there was someone that has dealt with this before. I don't have a great picture, I will try and get a better one tomorrow but if you zoom in you can see her face. Poor thing, just want to do what I can to help her.

 

[Riverbend Farms]

its hard to tell but it almost looks like her eye lids are very swollen but not her actual eye?? It seems really odd I hope she gets better

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome To BYC

If would be very helpful to have clear, well lit close up photos of the eye.

If you can gather her up, hold her and have someone take photos that would be great.

It's very hard to tell what's going on with the eye except that it's not in good shape.


Injury? Respiratory Illness? Don't know.

If you gather her up and want to try to treat while you have her - general care for an eye is to flush with saline, wipe away or remove any pus/debris that is in the eye, then apply an eye ointment like Terramcyin eye ointment into the eye. Do this at least once daily.

While you have her, look her over for lice/mites and inside her beak just to be sure there's no signs of lesions or canker.

 

[Manda521]

Welcome To BYC

If would be very helpful to have clear, well lit close up photos of the eye.

If you can gather her up, hold her and have someone take photos that would be great.

It's very hard to tell what's going on with the eye except that it's not in good shape.


Injury? Respiratory Illness? Don't know.

If you gather her up and want to try to treat while you have her - general care for an eye is to flush with saline, wipe away or remove any pus/debris that is in the eye, then apply an eye ointment like Terramcyin eye ointment into the eye. Do this at least once daily.

While you have her, look her over for lice/mites and inside her beak just to be sure there's no signs of lesions or canker.

Thank you! I got some more pics and talked to the previous owner. She said she has been treating it for about a month and a half using meloxicam 15mg, one in the morning and one in the evening. Along with some eye ointment terramycin. She said she thinks she was pecked by another chicken. I feel like it looks pretty bad for being treated for that long. Any suggestions are welcome! I'm new to this game! I just feel so bad for her.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you! I got some more pics and talked to the previous owner. She said she has been treating it for about a month and a half using meloxicam 15mg, one in the morning and one in the evening. Along with some eye ointment terramycin. She said she thinks she was pecked by another chicken. I feel like it looks pretty bad for being treated for that long. Any suggestions are welcome! I'm new to this game! I just feel so bad for her.

I'm going to tag in @Eggcessive to take a look and offer suggestions as well.

First of all, if vet care is an option, that would be best. Sometimes that's just not possible - vets can be expensive and *most* won't see poultry...

Hard to know if the eye is even intact, I would lean toward her having lost her eye, but chickens can surprise you.

I would say she probably has suffered injury since she's got scabbing towards the nostrils too.

Do you detect any bad odors that would indicate infection?
Swelling around the eye like that usually means there's pus. Chicken pus is usually a semi-solid cheese like substance, and it will not dry up on its own. It has to be removed.

If you need to treat at home, I would start with applying warm saline compresses to help soften the debris/scabs and hopefully loosen pus. This will likely be a work in sessions over several days, she will get stressed, so work with her but let her rest and give electrolytes after each session, perhaps something tasty to eat (a couple of grapes chopped up, 3-4 mealworms, etc.).
The pus will need to be pushed out. Generously flush with saline. Apply your ointment.

You will probably use a lot of saline, so making your own is more economical. Sterile homemade saline can be kept up to 24hrs safely. I'd just make fresh daily. To make saline at home, add 2 teaspoons of salt to 1 quart of water in sauce pan. Bring to boil, reduce to low simmer, cover for 15 minutes. Let cool.

There's YouTube videos of cleaning out pus from chickens' eyes, a lot of them deal with Infectious Coryza, but the method(s) are all very similar whether pus is due to injury/infection/respiratory illness.

She looks quite alert and is doing O.K.(?) eating/drinking - has adapted to one eye it seems.

 

[Manda521]

I'm going to tag in @Eggcessive to take a look and offer suggestions as well.

First of all, if vet care is an option, that would be best. Sometimes that's just not possible - vets can be expensive and *most* won't see poultry...

Hard to know if the eye is even intact, I would lean toward her having lost her eye, but chickens can surprise you.

I would say she probably has suffered injury since she's got scabbing towards the nostrils too.

Do you detect any bad odors that would indicate infection?
Swelling around the eye like that usually means there's pus. Chicken pus is usually a semi-solid cheese like substance, and it will not dry up on its own. It has to be removed.

If you need to treat at home, I would start with applying warm saline compresses to help soften the debris/scabs and hopefully loosen pus. This will likely be a work in sessions over several days, she will get stressed, so work with her but let her rest and give electrolytes after each session, perhaps something tasty to eat (a couple of grapes chopped up, 3-4 mealworms, etc.).
The pus will need to be pushed out. Generously flush with saline. Apply your ointment.

You will probably use a lot of saline, so making your own is more economical. Sterile homemade saline can be kept up to 24hrs safely. I'd just make fresh daily. To make saline at home, add 2 teaspoons of salt to 1 quart of water in sauce pan. Bring to boil, reduce to low simmer, cover for 15 minutes. Let cool.

There's YouTube videos of cleaning out pus from chickens' eyes, a lot of them deal with Infectious Coryza, but the method(s) are all very similar whether pus is due to injury/infection/respiratory illness.

She looks quite alert and is doing O.K.(?) eating/drinking - has adapted to one eye it seems.

Yes, she seems fine otherwise. I haven't smelled any bad odor but haven't messed with it at all besides what the previous owner told me to do lol. I'll start the warm compress and saline flush tomorrow morning and see if I can give her some relief and loosen things up. I'm new to the area so I'll have to see about vets around us.

Thank you for all the advice and help!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Keep us posted on how it goes.

Did the previous owner have any idea how she was injured?

 

[Manda521]

Keep us posted on how it goes.

Did the previous owner have any idea how she was injured?

No, all she said is she thinks she might have gotten pecked by another chicken. So she's been seperate from the rest of the flock.

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree with Wyorp Rock on what may have happened (pecking injury or respiratory disease,) and the treatment. Softening and cleaning the eye, and applying Terramycin or Neosporin ointment twice a day. It looks like the eye may be gone, but you will eventually be able to tell if it is intact or blinded. The previous owner should have treated it, and told you about it before you saw it.

 

[Manda521]

I agree with Wyorp Rock on what may have happened (pecking injury or respiratory disease,) and the treatment. Softening and cleaning the eye, and applying Terramycin or Neosporin ointment twice a day. It looks like the eye may be gone, but you will eventually be able to tell if it is intact or blinded. The previous owner should have treated it, and told you about it before you saw it.

Thank you for your input! I agree, it was all a surprise on closing day when I got the keys and went out there. They have given more info now... But it would have been nice to know before closing. I didn't even know chickens would be there so I'm glad I went there right when I got keys even though we aren't moving till this weekend. So I've been driving out there twice a day to take care of them.