Emergency with hen. Need help now!

[sagealbright]

My salmon Faverolle was acting weird yesterday. Running around squawking. We figured she was mad because we took her eggs. Today I went out to let everyone out to free range and she was sitting in the corner alone. Once I picked her up I realized her right eye is completely swollen and oozing. It's about the size of a golf ball. Her left eye keeps closing and the pupil is extremely dilated but it's not swollen or oozing. I have no experience with this. Is there anything I can do? What could cause this?

 

[sagealbright]

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

First step is to isolate her - this will protect her from the other birds picking at her and will also protect the other birds from contracting anything that may be causing her condition. After that - gently cleanse away all the crustiness. Saline solution intended for eye wash is good, plain warm water will also do. Once you have the area cleaned you can examine for any sign of injury that may have occurred to cause this reaction - if found, treatment will depend on the injury. If no injury is visible you need to consider illness related causes - to narrow that you will need to evaluate the bird for other symptoms which will help narrow the specific illness. In the meantime, keeping her calm, quiet, hydrated and well supported nutritionally will help her to cope.

 

[sagealbright]

I have isolated her. Someone is on their way home to hold her while I clean the eye. I'll update once we clean it and get a better idea of what's going on. What illness could cause this?

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

I have isolated her. Someone is on their way home to hold her while I clean the eye. I'll update once we clean it and get a better idea of what's going on. What illness could cause this?

Certain respiratory infections often result in oozy, swollen eyes.

 

[Eggcessive]

Ol Grey Mare has given you very good advice. Peck wounds around the eye are very common in chickens, and can cause swelling and infection. Insect stings or tick bites are also things to consider. Respiratory infections such as MG, coryza, and E.coli infections in the eye can also cause this. With those, you may also see nasal secretions, noisy breathing, or coughing/sneezing. The eye has some purulent (puss) drainage, so I would definitely get some Terramycin eye ointment, Vetericyn Eye Gel, or plain Triple Antibiotic ointment to treat it twice a day, after cleansing it with saline. If you suspect a respiratory disease, then a systemic antibiotic such as Tylan 50 injectable, oxytetracycline, or Gallimycin may be given. Coryza which may cause a bad odor around the head, is better treated with Sulfadimethoxine or Sulmet. Many of those are available at farm stores in the cattle, sheep, or goat aisle. Here is a good link to read about respiratory infections: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[sagealbright]

No respiratory issues that I notice. Breathing is normal and her nose isn't runny. Eyes were fine yesterday. She was extra noisy but she was walking around, scratching, and eating.

 

[sagealbright]

She is now holding her beak open. Thought I caught a glimpse of something yellow in there. My barnevelder died in December and she had a big yellow mass in the roof of her mouth. It looks similar to that. Will try to get some pictures of it. Cleaning her up now. Things don't look too good. She won't move or even sit down. I don't know how she could go from fine to this in less than 24 hours. I'll post some updated pictures of her eye.

 

[sagealbright]

Bad eye.

This is her good eye.

 

[sagealbright]

Ol Grey Mare has given you very good advice. Peck wounds around the eye are very common in chickens, and can cause swelling and infection. Insect stings or tick bites are also things to consider. Respiratory infections such as MG, coryza, and E.coli infections in the eye can also cause this. With those, you may also see nasal secretions, noisy breathing, or coughing/sneezing. The eye has some purulent (puss) drainage, so I would definitely get some Terramycin eye ointment, Vetericyn Eye Gel, or plain Triple Antibiotic ointment to treat it twice a day, after cleansing it with saline. If you suspect a respiratory disease, then a systemic antibiotic such as Tylan 50 injectable, oxytetracycline, or Gallimycin may be given. Coryza which may cause a bad odor around the head, is better treated with Sulfadimethoxine or Sulmet. Many of those are available at farm stores in the cattle, sheep, or goat aisle. Here is a good link to read about respiratory infections: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

Thanks Eggcessive!

Just got her eye cleaned and it's not what I was expecting at all. Before cleaning there was discharge around the eye and I thought I would be able to get more out. However, the puss on the outside was all of it. After wiping it off and using a warm compress I could see her eye again. She did not have any cuts that I could find and I didn't see any eye worms. The eyeball itself looks normal and all the swelling is coming from behind the eye. After doing more research I believe she may have a sinus infection. She also has what looks like mucus in her mouth. I believe that's why she is keeping her mouth open constantly. Her breathing sounds normal, it's not heavy or raspy. She's also not coughing or sneezing. This makes me think it's something concentrated in her sinuses since the other eye is starting to swell up as well. I saw that people have cut the face of their chicken open and removed the mass that was in the sinus. I don't think I will be able to do that. Are there any other ways of treating her? We have her on Happy Chicken Tonic which is a concentrated all natural medicine that our breeder makes. It has cured 3 of my other hens who had IB. I can't use Tylan or other antibiotics while this is in her system because it could cause a reaction. If I continue warm compresses do you think it will loosen the mass enough for it to come out? I feel so bad because now both of her eyes are closed and she can't see at all. She's the only original girl I have left from when I started my flock last year. I'm very attached to her.