Diagnose: Watery and droopy eye, but nothing else

[wiltongates]

Hey all! I am about two weeks into the whole chicken experience, with twelve chicks sitting in a brooder in my laundry room. They've all seemed happy and active, but yesterday morning I noticed one two-week old chick -- the sweet columbian wyandotte -- had weird looking eyes. They were especially watery, the one on the left more than the other, and looked as if the pupil had slid back halfway across the eye opening. From what I've researched, I think this is called "droopy eye." The feathers around the eyes look wet, but I can't tell if that's because they ARE wet, or if it's because down has fallen off, leaving balding with pin feathers coming through. I've quarantined her in a separate brooder, but am unsure what to do now. From what I've read here on the site, most sick chickens that present with a droopy/watery eye have other symptoms, like a runny nose or bubbly eyes. This chick only has the eye issue, and is otherwise active, eating and drinking.

None of the vets I've spoken with are very knowledgeable on chickens, and all they could say was to quarantine her. My feed store guy gave me some Duramycin-10 to treat with. If she is diseased, though, and will carry a long-term disease to the rest of the flock even after recovering, I think it would be best to cull. I can't really know the best thing to do until I have a better idea on the diagnosis, though. The chickens are intended to be primarily for laying. Any thoughts on what this might be or what I should do? I'll try to update with a picture tonight, and will update as any changes occur. Thanks!

 

[wiltongates]

I just checked on all the chicks again. The quarantined one seems to be doing well. She's still eating and drinking, and seems as active as most of the other chicks are (endless 15 minute cycles of eat, drink, flap, sleep). Her eyes seem less watery than they did this morning, and they look like the pupils might be sliding back into place. Still no mucus drainage or bubble eyes. Could it just be a developmental issue, and not a disease? I gave her a low solution of the Duramycin-10. The other chicks seem fine - no signs of illness. The only other difference I've noticed between her and the other chicks as that though they're the same age, she has a small bald spot on her back and it looks like some of the feathers have matted together. Could just be that something wet dried there and stuck the feathers together, but she does not noticeably less fluffy there than all the others of the same age. I figured she was just developing faster/differently, but maybe someone here knows better. Thanks!

 

[wiltongates]

Well, she still seems the same. The eyes are not as watery as they once were, but still more watery than normal. Both are still droopy, though the left eye worse that the right. Her behavior is still otherwise unchanged - she drinks and eats happily, and struts around her brooder between naps. Just seems a little lonely since she can hear all the other chicks chirping across the room. Anyone have any thoughts on what this could be?

 

[wiltongates]

I'm starting to get more concerned about her balding. She keeps pecking at the base of her neck and at her shoulders. The feathers around there are either gone or matted. The feathers/down around her eyes are also matted down. Is the matting from the watery eyes? Why would she be pecking so much at that area? I think this is more than down falling out to make room for pinfeathers. How would I know if it were lice/mites? Behavior is still normal.

 

[ChickenPeep]

Do you know how to upload a picture? That would help.

 

[ChickenPeep]

Does it look like this?

 

[wiltongates]

ChickenPeep - thanks for getting back to me! Yes, it looks exactly like that. I've seen a post in the archives using that picture, but felt unsure whether I was dealing with the same situation, since in that post, the chickens had mucous, but I haven't noticed any such thing with this chick. Being a newbie, I don't know if that's a significant difference or not, though. Here are some pictures I finally took tonight. They show both eyes, with the feather matting around the eyes, and then show the balding and matted spots on the shoulder and base of neck.

 

[ChickenPeep]

It's still possible it doesn't have it. Wait and see how it does.
The bare spots on the shoulders could be from it wiping it's eyes.

 

[wiltongates]

After checking on her today, she doesn't seem much changed. Still eating and drinking normally, and acts as curious and inquisitive as (or more so than) the healthy chicks next door. I haven't noticed the bald spots growing, so I think you're right, ChickenPeep, that it's just matting from her eyes. The eyes are still droopy and watery, and I'm still administering Duramycin-10 in her water (though not totally sure I'm doing it properly - I'm creating a solution at the right concentration, but she can't drink all the water herself, so the two-dose-a-day instructions on the package kinda goes out the window; should I mix up a fresh batch every day?). Will keep updating as things go on, and would appreciate anymore input if people have ideas. Thanks!

 

[wiltongates]

Still no change. She's growing well, with normal behavior. Is it not weird that the eyes haven't cleared up yet, if she's not really sick? It's been about a week and a half.