Chicks with sunken eyes/don't want to open eyes

[msbien]

Hello - I have some three week old chicks who have sunken eyes, and now a couple of them do not want to open them. I put some Poly-vi-sol (no iron) in their water just now (5 drops in a pint - no idea if this is a good amount). I also took one of them and put a towel soaked with warm saline water on her eye. She didn't like it, but did open her eyes in protest. They are very sunken looking. I don't know what this could be, do you? I could really use some advice. Thank you!

Stacie

 

[Eggcessive]

Sunken eyes would be a symptom of dehydration in about any species. Are they overheated? Check your brooder temperature with a thermometer on the floor. Are they getting enough fluids? Maybe put out more water stations so that no on is kept from water. Electrolytes in the water for the next 12 hours may be needed.

 

[msbien]

Thank you for your reply. There are only 8 of them, and I don't believe that they are having trouble getting water. I change it 4-5 times a day too so I know it's fresh. I read on another board that someone had something like this and it was suggested that it was an upper respiratory thing. Any thoughts on that? I still am not sure what to do, and I could really use some help.

 

[Eggcessive]

If they had a respiratory disease you should see symptoms such as sneezing, coughing, watery eyes or crusting, nasal drainage, and you may see swelling around the eye or rattles when they breathe. Chicks though, I believe have less symptoms than older chickens, and they may just look sick and puffed up with a few of the above symptoms. Make sure that you have plenty of ventilation in your brooder because if air is not fresh, and fumes from the poo and dust from the litter accumulate, they can easily show eye irritation and respiratory symptoms. What kind of a brooder are they in?

 

[msbien]

I ended up changing the pine shavings I was using, and things got better very fast, I had been using the fine, small shavings and I think that was the culprit! I thought they would be softer, and nicer for the littles but I think I was wrong.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thanks for the update, and I'm glad you figured out what was affecting them. I have found that many well-known farm stores sell pine shavings that are much too dusty and fine, almost like sawdust (which is pretty bad for chickens.) I have had to shop around, and finally found one I like very much, one that is medium to large in flake size, but not too dusty from a local dealer.