Cloudy/Scarred Eye on Araucana female?

[jmherr]

Hi all, new to the forum but have read much wonderful advice on here before. I had been building a chicken coop and run back in March in my spare time and finally finished it the week before father's day. My wife decided to surprise me and went to the flea market (lots of livestock there) and got me two 10-month old Araucana hens/pullets. The lady said that they are laying but as of now they haven't laid yet. I'm not entirely sure they are true Araucanas either, but as far as I can remember they both looked perfectly fine when I received them. Now one of them clearly has different eyes than the other, her one eye seems to be covered (about 40-50%) in a whitish mucus or scar tissue and her other eye is covered maybe 20%. It may of been like that when I received them but I cannot truly remember as I'm a first time chicken owner. They both eat and drink fine, fresh water once or twice daily, eat as much DuMor Egg Layer pellets (I think thats what its called) and oyster shells. I might also mention that they are currently housed with two ducks also, not sure on the species, but all get along wonderfully and they eat/drink together. The run is 6' by 20' and the actual coop is 6' by 6' with a roost and nest boxes. All other eyes on ducks and chicken look fine. Oh and I also use cedar wood chips in and around their coop and run to help repel snakes and for bedding as well as hay. Any clues? I can take a photo if needed. Thanks much!

-Josh

 

[MotherJean]

First, the aromatic cedar can be toxic to your birds. Get rid of it in the run/coop and use it only on the perimeter of the chickens living space if you wish to repel snakes. If this doesn't resolve the eye issue with those two birds, then you should suspect respiratory disease. It's sad to say, there are chicken folks out there who will pass off sick birds in a private sale either knowingly or out of ignorance. You think you're getting a bird that will give you the instant gratification of eggs, but too often you're just buying somebody else's trouble.

 

[jmherr]

Ok I'll pull the cedar out of the run and coop, but the eye problem is just with one of the chickens. The other chicken and two ducks are all fine. Other than the physical appearance of it, shes acting completely normal.

 

[MotherJean]

Fingers crossed for you that it's just a little reaction to the cedar. I love happy endings.