Closed eye, leaking clear liquid

raiford921

In the Brooder
7 Years
Jan 6, 2013
53
0
31
Hen has one eye closed, similar to our pinkeye. Her eye has clear liquid leaking out. She is eating, drinking, laying, everything seems fine but her eye. I have had her quarantined for 5 days and it's not better. I've cleaned it several times with water and now I'm thinking of giving her penicillin.
Any thought?
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Her eye has gotten a lot worse. I'm treating with penicllin and cleaning it daily. Any other suggestions. She is eating and drinking just fine.
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It may be wet fowl pox. Your hen looks to have some dry fowl pox. That eye looks pretty bad almost like coryza, but wet pox can look like that. Be sure and look inside your hen's mouth for any yellow cheesy patches--these are common with wet pox, and can cause respiratory distress. Here is another thread where the person has been treating both: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...x-xxx-rated-graphic-pictures-of-pus-and-scabs
 
Penicillin, yes. But also, check her nose and her ear. The ear may be difficult, because you have to push those tiny feathers aside to see in it. Is her nose clogged? Do you see a lot of gunk in the ear?

If so, try getting something called "VetRx" (if you're in the U.S.) and putting some drops in her nostrils and ears with an eyedropper. You may want to do this anyway with her nose, as it COULD be an upper respiratory infection and the inflammation is located right behind her eye. Chickens often display the symptoms of respiratory infections by goopy eyes, just as humans have watery eyes when they have allergies from pollen. It's all connected right there in our faces.

The VetRx is a camphor, menthol, and mineral oil combination. The oily part of it will help keep the mucus from gluing anything shut like that. It won't stop it, but it can help.

Aside from that, just keep cleaning the eye, keep giving her penicillin, and keep her as comfy as possible.
 
Do any of your other chickens have respiratory symptoms or fowl pox? Tylan 50 injection would be the best treatment for respiratory disease such as mycoplasma or coryza, but if it is pox causing the eye problem, it may not respond to the antibiotic because pox is a virus. I would isolate her from your other chickens to keep the spread down. Make sure she is eating, and give her some extra protein with eggs, tuna, or hamburger. Keep us updated on her condition.
 
We have a quarantine area within our run that I placed her in when I first noticed her eye. This morning she exhibited signs and symptoms of nasal issues. I've given her a second dose of penicillin and cleaned her eye. She acts like nothing is wrong except or rubbing her bad eye against herself. If a respiratory issue evolves, can Tylan 50 AND penicillin be administered? Is there a time period to stop one and start another?
 
Do you think it is wet fowl pox? Or has there ever been any respiratory disease before? if it is a respiratory disease, the Tylan would be better. If you think it is pox, I would try the penicillin since you have it, and watch for any improvement for a day or two, but I can't say if it would help. In the link I gave in post # 2, Casportpony had been giving Baytril, a very powerful antibiotic without much response. Do you have a vet to consult? Here is another link from Cornell with 18 pictures and descriptions of pox: http://partnersah.vet.cornell.edu/avian-atlas/search/disease/510
 
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