Extremely swollen eye

[Eggcessive]

The tick may have caused some swelling, but I wonder if she was pecked under her eye and on her wattle? Benadryl dosage is 2 to 4 mg per kilogram (every 2.2 pounds) for a chicken. Benadryl tablets (OTC) are 25 mg. 1/2 tablet is 12.5 mg so you can give 1/3 up to a half tablet orally.

 

[Logar]

You are all on the right track with this being an alergic reaction, but Benadryl can be very toxic unless administered in the correct dose. For this reason, it's best to buy chicldren's liquid Benadryl and give .5ml by oral syringe. You may give one more .5ml dose 24 hours later, but that is the limit to avoid toxicity.

I thought that half of a 25 mg Benadryl tablet was ok?

 

[azygous]

Just to add my observation leading to my deduction. When a respiratory infection is responsible for eye swelling, the eye all but disappears due to pus accumulation in the eye socket. But this hen does not have swelling in the eye socket. Instead her tissue is swelling in a perfect circle around the eye socket. That points to a histamine reaction by the tissues puffing up from fluid.

It could be from a pecking injury, but the perfect circle of affected tissue dissuades me from that being the cause.

Half a milligram of Benedryl is a whole lot less than twelve milligrams. To repeat, we must dose a chicken with Benadryl very, very carefully. You may certainly do a search on the internet to confirm this.

 

[Eggcessive]

How much does the chicken weigh? 1/3 to 1/2 tablet is usually okay for a grown full size chicken. Dosage is 2-4 mg per kilogram or every 2.2 pounds.
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/multimedia/table/antihistamine-dosages

 

[Eggcessive]

I would also consider a respiratory disease which could also cause a swollen eyelid.

 

[azygous]

I stand corrected. @Eggcessive is correct. It much easier to get the dosage right when you use the liquid Benadryl. You don't want to overdose the patient. One dose now. And one more in 24 hours.

 

[Logar]

How much does the chicken weigh? 1/3 to 1/2 tablet is usually okay for a grown full size chicken. Dosage is 2-4 mg per kilogram or every 2.2 pounds.
https://www.merckvetmanual.com/multimedia/table/antihistamine-dosages

I believe she is around 6-7 lbs

 

[Logar]

The tick may have caused some swelling, but I wonder if she was pecked under her eye and on her wattle? Benadryl dosage is 2 to 4 mg per kilogram (every 2.2 pounds) for a chicken. Benadryl tablets (OTC) are 25 mg. 1/2 tablet is 12.5 mg so you can give 1/3 up to a half tablet orally.

I will just give her 1/3 tablet just to be safe even though she could take a 1/2 based off her weight. Is it fine for it to be crushed and mixed with egg? She is extremely stubborn.

 

[Eggcessive]

So the 1/2 tablet would be just right. 4 mg x6.6 Kg would be 12.2mg. Benadryl may help an allergic reaction. Give it right into her beak if you can.

 

[Eggcessive]

I just corrected my typo above. I accidentally said 25, but it would be 12.5 mg.