Chicken with swollen lump under eye

[MyChickens14]

good luck! have you done it yet?

 

[rebrascora]

Unfortunately chicken pus turns to a cheesy waxy solid, so you are unlikely to be able to drain this with a needle.
I've seen You Tube footage of the surgery done on this, where you make an external incision and then place your finger inside the chicken's mouth and squeeze the semi solid pus out by applying pressure from inside. It looked pretty brutal and whilst I'm capable of doing crop surgery, I'm not sure I could do that myself, so I would be reluctant to encourage someone else to do it. I think a veterinary visit might be your best bet.

 

[MyChickens14]

any news?

 

[Eggcessive]

It looks like a sinus infection. Tylan 50 injectable, an antibiotic found in the chicken medicines at many feed stores, but given orally can be used. I would try to squeeze out any infection. Are you seeing any coughing, sneezing, wheezing, or nasal drainage?

 

[Ace192710]

any news?

No. I found a better oral syringe and managed to get some antibiotic into her but not the whole dose. Rebrascora's post kind of freaked me out too because the lump is semi solid. She seems fine apart from the lump and not being able to see out of that eye. I don't want to butcher her and cause her pain. Still trying to decide if I'm going to do it.

 

[Ace192710]

It looks like a sinus infection. Tylan 50 injectable, an antibiotic found in the chicken medicines at many feed stores, but given orally can be used. I would try to squeeze out any infection. Are you seeing any coughing, sneezing, wheezing, or nasal drainage?

Hi
Tylan 50 isn't available over the counter here (Australia). I've been trying an oral antibiotic with limited success.

How would I squeeze it out? Do you mean puncture it and squeeze it out as the others have suggested?

She's sneezes occasionally but I'm not seeing any discharge or wheezing. She seems fine from what I can tell though she's a bit jumpy due to not being able to see out of the one eye.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

Hi.
Last week I noticed this chook had a lump underneath her eye. Here are the pictures - https://imgur.com/a/PKXjG

I gave her antibiotics for about 5 days after which I stopped because she wasn't getting any better and it was becoming increasingly difficult to trick or force her to take the medication. Today, two days after her last dose, the lump is bigger and her eye is completely shut because of it. Last time I checked the lump wasn't completely hard but it wasn't soft/squishy either.

Is there anything else I can try because taking her to a vet is a last resort at the moment?
Also is this most likely a sinus infection? I noticed the other chooks sneezing and some of them have clear discharge coming out of their nostrils but this one seems fine apart from the lump?

Cheers.

Greetings Ace,

If your hen is not exhibiting any upper respiratory infection symptoms, she still may have one, but it is localized in that sinus, or it is possibly an injury from a peck.

Because it has been so long since you first noticed this, the best course would be to take her to a Veterinarian. Personally, I would not do surgery on my chicken's eye without proper training. More infection can happen, damage to her eye, and even heart attack from stress, during the procedure.

But if you can't take her to see a Vet, I am suggesting another treatment plan for your hen. When the eye is infected by either injury or URI, antibiotics alone sometimes is not enough. Because of the anatomy of the chicken sinus, drainage is difficult. Her sinus is swelling from inflammation, and may be filled with mucous. To treat the sinus, you have to treat the eyeball too. Her eyeball doesn't seem to be injured, but a peck in the corner will cause significant swelling from infection. The treatment should apply to both scenarios.

Treatment plan:

• Traditional antibiotic should be broad-spectrum, oral or IM injection. Or, use an oral broad spectrum herbal formulation.

• warm compress every 12 hours

• Terramycin or triple antibiotic ophthalmic ointment, on the lower lid, every 12 hours.

• Manuka Honey Eye drops, a natural treatment, offers alternative healing if you don't want to use traditional antibiotic ointment.

Follow these steps:

1. Use 50% Manuka Honey (Medical Grade is best) or raw honey with 50% distilled water (use new bottle) to make a solution.
2. Using a dropper, squeeze two to three drops of the solution into the eye.
3. Apply two to three times daily until infection clears.

The treatment will more effective, if you treat the under eye swelling, with the warm compress, and the eye ball with ointment or drops, along with an oral or IM antibiotic. If you buy some Manuka Honey, you can even administer 1 mL, to the sick hens for their URI symptoms.

You can also add some Echinacea tea (1 teabag per gallon of water) or Aloe Vera to the hen's water to boost her immune system, which is essential for healing. Make fresh each day in hot weather, every other day in cool weather.

Healing the eyes takes a couple of weeks, healing the sinus, even longer. But, you should see some improvement in at least 42 hours, if not sooner.

These are my thoughts on your hen's eye issue, I hope they are helpful.

God Bless

 

[Ace192710]

....

Thank you so much for the detailed post. I will try your suggestions and post an update on how she's doing.

 

[Hen Pen Jem]

An update would be very good, as we are all learning from these posts.

One more thing about the use of antibiotics, once the chicken is healed, remember to always follow antibiotic treatments whether traditional or herbal, with a three day course of probiotics to restore the chicken's gut flora. Antibiotics are indiscriminate, killing even the good bacteria in the gut. The gut flora is an important part of the chicken's immune system.

God Bless

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@Ace192710 You may find this article helpful with giving her the medication https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/safely-administering-oral-medications-to-poultry.73335/

I agree with the others, the pus will have to come out in order for the eye to get better. Antibiotics will not dry up chicken pus - the pus has to be removed for the antibiotics to be effective.

Warm compresses as @Hen Pen Jem suggested may help loosen the pus to where you can press it out. It may take several attempts and you have to work out small amounts at time. Flush generously with saline or sterile water. If you have an ophthalmic ointment like Vetericyn or Terramycin, that may also help to keep it "moist" in between attempts of removal.

If you can press or squeeze it out, then seek vet care.

I hope she gets better soon.