Conjunctivitis and not responding to antibiotic

[azygous]

Here's an update on my EE Lucy with the sick eye.

After a round of Tylan 50, Lucy is feeling better, is eating a little more each day than the day before, but she's still not her old self.

I've about written off the eye. I have continued with antibiotic drops and steroid drops, and I follow up with a heavy duty eye lubricant after the previous drops have been absorbed. The latter seems to make the eye feel better. I've caught her with it open on occasion, although she keeps it closed most of the time.

She's been spending days in the confinement pen in the run, sometimes with another young hen who is also recovering from an illness (not related to Lucy's). Lucy sleeps in her infirmary crate at night, and she seems to feel very secure in it.

I wish I knew what made her so sick and why the eye glazed over within the span of just a couple days. I suppose it could be Mycoplasma, but I've never had a CRD in my flock, and none of the other chickens are showing any symptoms. Any ideas what it might be?

 

[Cayuga momma]

I'm glad Lucy is getting better each day. I wish I could be more help, but I'm just not experienced enough and there is only so much info you can get from a book.
Thanks for keeping us updated.

 

[azygous]

Lucy has hit a wall. She's getting stronger, but she is not adjusting to being blind in her close vision eye, which for all chickens is the right eye. Her left eye isn't able to focus on her food because it's the distance eye. So she won't even try to eat. Or drink.

I tube feed her in the evening, hoping hunger during the day will motivate her to learn to use her distance eye to try to eat. She notices when I set down some food, but she gives up without even trying to eat.

I've tried hanging her feeder at eye level, I've tried scattering grain or rolled oats on the ground. About the only thing she will take the trouble to try to eat is meal worms, but she gives up on them before she finds them all.

Tonight I tossed the flock some scratch before roosting time, and I got Lucy out and set her down in the middle of the flock. She immediately got attacked by another hen. Lucy was terrified and ran away, but I could tell it was because she didn't feel safe and it was because she couldn't see. I even startled her when I picked her up because she couldn't see me on her blind side.

I don't think she is going to be able to function in the flock with one eye. I know other chickens have adapted, but Lucy seems to lack motivation. I'm going to give her a few more days, but I'm preparing myself to euthanize her.

If anyone has any ideas how to motivate a chicken to try to adapt to blindness, I'm open to suggestions.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

What about sound of food being rattled in a small container on her left side?

I know you are keeping her safe, but wonder if she feels very vulnerable. Do you think putting her in small space might help/truly isolated where she feels more protected. Is she in a crate or one of your pens by herself?

 

[azygous]

She's in the run inside the "jail" pen. She feels safe in there. Occasionally, she gets a friend to keep her company and snuggle up against who won't beat her up. I do it also to try to stimulate her to eat when her friend does. But it hasn't worked so far.

At night I carry her into the garage where she is eager to go into her crate. I can tell it's the only place she truly feels safe.

I'll try the shaking container. I'm game for anything. Maybe I can get a cookie sheet and make some noise dropping some grain onto it, then tapping it with my finger. That worked for a blind baby chick some years back that someone was trying to teach to eat.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Let us know how it goes.

 

[micstrachan]

Poor Lucy! I’m so sorry; I have missed this whole thread, I think. I’ll go back through and read it all. How does she do with dampened feed so she doesn’t have to aim precisely?

 

[micstrachan]

I am sorry I can’t think of anything except the damp feed. I sincerely hope she breaks through this wall. Might she enjoy having her crate inside the confinement pen, or would it not fit right? Hugs!

 

[Kathy Golla]

Yes, this is the Lucy I have read and heard about.
I know you always do the best you can do, azygous. You’ve done your very best. It’s impossible to not get attached to our sickest hens. I’m most attached to my most broody hen who I’ve spent a lot of time with although a broody hen (when you are not hatching eggs) is a PIA. You help so many people and I wish I could help you. But all I can do is send you (hugs). You have a special place reserved for you in heaven!

 

[azygous]

The flock eats fermented feed which is wet. Over the course of each day I offer Lucy in her safe pen the following delicacies: Fermented feed in a bowl on the ground, a hanging feeder with dry feed, grated carrot, rolled oats, raisins, meal worms, a sliver of raw squash, colorful dry cat food, scratch grain. She isn't interested in any of them.

At the end of the day, to keep her from starving, her tube feeding consists of cooked wheat cereal and yogurt or a raw egg. Plus Nutri-drench. I can't tube feed her indefinitely.