Eye closed shut

[Yigolette]

Hens eye is closed shut and I cannot tell if this is from an infection or if another chicken has attacked her or how I can help her. Please advise

 

[Myrshine]

This is most likely caused by an infection. Eye infections (conjunctivitis) in chickens are caused by the start of a respiratory infection. I would try gently and forcefully open her eye and look to see if there’s any damage to her eyeball or blood that would indicate an injury rather than a disease. Has your flock ever felt with a respiratory infection in the past? Have you gotten any new birds recently?

Just because she’s not showing respiratory symptoms, does NOT mean she doesn’t have it. All birds bodies react to infections differently, some mild and some severe. I think your birds may have the mild strain. In my experience and research, this looks like classic Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD), or most commonly known as Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG). MG is a bacterial infection of poultry, affecting all different species of birds. This disease is most commonly given from infected parents to the offspring, as the MG bacteria can be transmitted vertically into the eggs of developing embryos, making any chicks that hatch, always infected and sick with the bacteria. So please please PLEASE don’t breed from your sickly infected flock. MG is a chronic disease- meaning, that you can treat or have the symptoms go away, but whenever the bird gets stressed again, the symptoms will keep coming back or get worse. All “recovered” like birds, remain lifetime long carriers of the MG bacteria, spreading and shedding it through their feces, feathers, dander, respiratory secretions and other bodily fluids. This is a lifetime disease of poultry and is incurable. Since MG is a bacteria, antibiotics can help keep symptoms at bay until the symptoms resurface. Keep in mind that over-use and/or misuse of antibiotics also creates antibiotic-resistant bacteria, making the disease harder to treat than before. It’s critical in poultry to get any sick or symptomatic birds tested to find out which specific disease they have as soon as possible.

Here's more information about MG:

https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/programs/poultry/FS-1008 Recognizing and Preventing Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf

https://www.freedomrangerhatchery.com/blog/protecting-your-flock-what-you-need-to-know-about-mg-ms/
https://afarmgirlinthemaking.com/respiratory-conditions-poultry-mycoplasma-in-chickens/

https://m.facebook.com/groups/381727643241021/permalink/382070023206783/?ref=content_filter


https://m.facebook.com/groups/381727643241021/permalink/405654594181659/?ref=content_filter

I hope this helps!

 

[Yigolette]

This is most likely caused by an infection. Eye infections (conjunctivitis) in chickens are caused by the start of a respiratory infection. I would try gently and forcefully open her eye and look to see if there’s any damage to her eyeball or blood that would indicate an injury rather than a disease. Has your flock ever felt with a respiratory infection in the past? Have you gotten any new birds recently?

Just because she’s not showing respiratory symptoms, does NOT mean she doesn’t have it. All birds bodies react to infections differently, some mild and some severe. I think your birds may have the mild strain. In my experience and research, this looks like classic Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD), or most commonly known as Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG). MG is a bacterial infection of poultry, affecting all different species of birds. This disease is most commonly given from infected parents to the offspring, as the MG bacteria can be transmitted vertically into the eggs of developing embryos, making any chicks that hatch, always infected and sick with the bacteria. So please please PLEASE don’t breed from your sickly infected flock. MG is a chronic disease- meaning, that you can treat or have the symptoms go away, but whenever the bird gets stressed again, the symptoms will keep coming back or get worse. All “recovered” like birds, remain lifetime long carriers of the MG bacteria, spreading and shedding it through their feces, feathers, dander, respiratory secretions and other bodily fluids. This is a lifetime disease of poultry and is incurable. Since MG is a bacteria, antibiotics can help keep symptoms at bay until the symptoms resurface. Keep in mind that over-use and/or misuse of antibiotics also creates antibiotic-resistant bacteria, making the disease harder to treat than before. It’s critical in poultry to get any sick or symptomatic birds tested to find out which specific disease they have as soon as possible.

Here's more information about MG:

https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/programs/poultry/FS-1008 Recognizing and Preventing Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf

https://www.freedomrangerhatchery.com/blog/protecting-your-flock-what-you-need-to-know-about-mg-ms/
https://afarmgirlinthemaking.com/respiratory-conditions-poultry-mycoplasma-in-chickens/

https://m.facebook.com/groups/381727643241021/permalink/382070023206783/?ref=content_filter


https://m.facebook.com/groups/381727643241021/permalink/405654594181659/?ref=content_filter

I hope this helps!

This is INCREDIBLY helpful. Thank you so much for such a complete and thoughtful response

 

[Yigolette]

This is most likely caused by an infection. Eye infections (conjunctivitis) in chickens are caused by the start of a respiratory infection. I would try gently and forcefully open her eye and look to see if there’s any damage to her eyeball or blood that would indicate an injury rather than a disease. Has your flock ever felt with a respiratory infection in the past? Have you gotten any new birds recently?

Just because she’s not showing respiratory symptoms, does NOT mean she doesn’t have it. All birds bodies react to infections differently, some mild and some severe. I think your birds may have the mild strain. In my experience and research, this looks like classic Chronic Respiratory Disease (CRD), or most commonly known as Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG). MG is a bacterial infection of poultry, affecting all different species of birds. This disease is most commonly given from infected parents to the offspring, as the MG bacteria can be transmitted vertically into the eggs of developing embryos, making any chicks that hatch, always infected and sick with the bacteria. So please please PLEASE don’t breed from your sickly infected flock. MG is a chronic disease- meaning, that you can treat or have the symptoms go away, but whenever the bird gets stressed again, the symptoms will keep coming back or get worse. All “recovered” like birds, remain lifetime long carriers of the MG bacteria, spreading and shedding it through their feces, feathers, dander, respiratory secretions and other bodily fluids. This is a lifetime disease of poultry and is incurable. Since MG is a bacteria, antibiotics can help keep symptoms at bay until the symptoms resurface. Keep in mind that over-use and/or misuse of antibiotics also creates antibiotic-resistant bacteria, making the disease harder to treat than before. It’s critical in poultry to get any sick or symptomatic birds tested to find out which specific disease they have as soon as possible.

Here's more information about MG:

https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/programs/poultry/FS-1008 Recognizing and Preventing Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf

https://www.freedomrangerhatchery.com/blog/protecting-your-flock-what-you-need-to-know-about-mg-ms/
https://afarmgirlinthemaking.com/respiratory-conditions-poultry-mycoplasma-in-chickens/

https://m.facebook.com/groups/381727643241021/permalink/382070023206783/?ref=content_filter


https://m.facebook.com/groups/381727643241021/permalink/405654594181659/?ref=content_filter

I hope this helps!

Is it okay to eat the eggs this sick hen lays ?

 

[Myrshine]

Is it okay to eat the eggs this sick hen lays ?

Yes, as it doesn’t affect humans. Eggs are safe to eat as long as you’re not treating with antibiotics with an egg withdrawal.

 

[Chickensandhorsesforlife]

Use this on her eye. It cleared up 2 of my birsd

 

[Chickensandhorsesforlife]

Or Vet-R-X

 

[Yigolette]

Hello, just as a follow up question: it has been two weeks. The chickens eye is still closed but she is otherwise healthy. The other hens in the flock are also healthy and have not shown signs of any eye infection or issues. We do not have an animal doctor that does chickens here and the feed store here does not sell anything aside from feed and vitamins. Could this chicken be permanently blind in one eye?

 

[Yigolette]

I am tempted to try human eye drops on the chicken. Is this a bad idea?

 

[Yigolette]

Here is some more information that might help you all guide me:

- the chicken is not lethargic
- she does not smell and is laying
- she is not struggling to breathe or sneezing and coughing
- I tried to put vitamins in her water but she wouldn’t have the water that way so I put her back on regular water
- she allows me to wipe the eye. When I pry it open, I can’t seem to see her eye and it looks white or cream colored? I don’t know how to describe it