Chickens with eye issues

[hbrittan]

I have been looking and asking around about this issue and nobody seems to know anything. I didn't want to take my chickens into a vet but just might. I had one chicken that looked like it was getting cataracts. She can still see somewhat and eat. There are no other symptoms. Other chickens are getting it, different breeds. I tried antibiotics in the eye, looked for eye worms and saw none (we also don't have cockroaches that typically carry the eye worm). The cloudiness is in the pupil, so doesn't fit the description of Mareks. It starts little and eventually fills up the whole pupil. I was feeding them extra things in their feed, sunflower seeds, probiotics, kelp, oats, diatomacious earth, and omega 3. I started feeding oyster because their eggs were getting a little thinner. I stopped that and more chickens are still getting it. My chickens were hatched last year. Anyone have thoughts?! I am thinking of deworming.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. There can be several causes for eye problems in chickens, including eye infections or injuries, Mareks disease, cataracts, vitamin A or E deficiency, past infection with avian encephalomyelitis or AE, and others. What chicken feed are they eating? A balanced fresh dated feed is preferred for 90% of the diet. Vitamins may leech out if the feed gets old.

 

[hbrittan]

I was feeding purena crumbles with the extras I mentioned. I had put some oyster shell recently. Their eggs started to get a little thin but not bad. They haven't had any other symptoms or abnormalities that are at least noticeable to me. I also feed them fruits and veggie scraps

 

[Eggcessive]

Since you are seeing it in multiple hens, I would get a necropsy done by the state vet or local poultry lab, if you should lose one. The layer feed should make up 90% or more of the diet since it has all of the balanced ration of vitamins and minerals.

 

[hbrittan]

Good idea. Their main diet does consist of the layer feed. As of this moment in time unless I learn something new I will be taking one of the girls into a bird vet.