Chicken with one eye closed

[PharmGirl825]

Hi,
One of my 8 week-old chicks is walking around today with one eye closed. He/she is otherwise acting fine, eating and preening. Should I bring the chick to the vet or wait a day or two to see what happens? I am new to this and don't want to wait if this condition is a serious one.
Thanks

 

[Haleth]

I'm having the same problem with two two-day-old Serama chicks. One has both eyes closed, the other one eye closed. They can open them when I dab the eyelids with warm saline water, but I have to do it every time they wake up from a nap. I went and bought some Duramycin-10 (that's the only thing they had at the local Feed & Grain) but I'm worried that it might not be bacterial.

 

[Haleth]

Nobody? I finally gave them some Duramycin-10 since they won't eat or drink if they can't see. Their eyes don't seem to be swollen or anything, and I can't tell if they're starting to get lethargic or not, since all newly hatched chicks sleep a lot. They do bop around a bit if I wake them up. Is there anything I can do for their eyes? I'm worried that the infection or whatever it is will get worse if their eyes stay sealed for so long.

 

[Sillystunt]

mine has it right now from fowl pox. it is really swollen and huge. I have him on tylan, it is the best!!! Warm compress and an iodine flush will help. I am sooo sick today, i will have to compress tomorrow. It will help open up the scabs and get that infection oozing out the eye. Will relieve some pressure as well.

Get some plain yogurt for it to eat, poly vit's from CVS or walmart to perk it up. And make sure your other chikens aren't pecking it. maybe confine it alone.

I also lathered antibiotic ointment on it cause it was all i had. It started oozing which is good cause he looks like rocky after a beat down

 

[Haleth]

Thanks, Sillystunt! I gave them both the Duramycin--the only place to get Tylan around here is online, as far as I've found. I ordered some anyway. I put some vitamins in with their water along with the antibiotics (hope that's okay, I couldn't find anything on the packages saying not to). After using the warm saline over and over and a few drops of the antibiotics on the cotton ball they finally have their eyes open! And they're both bopping around much much more! I did notice that the smallest one that had both eyes closed had a scabby bellybutton that had something white mixed in with the dried blood--maybe poo?--and was protruding a bit, so I put neosporin on that, too. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Oh, and they've both been kept separate from the others since they hatched two days later than the rest. I figured it'd be safer since they're smaller and might not be accepted, along with being healthier.

 

[Sillystunt]

well that sounds good for them! Mine is not doing well, really swollen. I did an iodine flush and the lower scab had come off. The infection in the eye is like a custartd and i have no clue how to get it out. Just gonna keep on the Tylan. believe me you will need it and it is great to have handy!! best of luck~