Eye infection? Affecting the wattles?

ChickenFan73

Chirping
6 Years
Apr 13, 2018
20
13
86
Hey everyone,
So we have a 5 week old chick with a terrible eye infection. Will only eat and drink if we bring the food right up to the face. Otherwise just sleeps. It seems to be getting better, but it appears that whatever this is, it is also affecting the wattles- they have practically disappeared!

Does anybody know what this is or could be?
Pics included for clarity.
This is before treatment started, two days ago.
most recent blinky.jpg

This is the most recent pic, the eye opens now but the wattles are almost gone now...
actual most recent.jpg
 
What medicines have you been treating with? What other symptoms are you seeing? I would be afraid that her eye may be permanently damaged with the infection going on so long. I would agree with Wyorp Rock that a vet may be the best thing. An eye infection require an antibiotic effective against the specific bacteria. Some are caused by respiratory diseases such as mycoplasma ( MG) or coryza. Tylan would treat MG or sulfa antibiotic may treat coryza. Has she sneezed or had labored breathing? If it is infected due to pecking or getting litter into the eye, treating for E.coli or staph would be better.
 
So here is the full story:
Yes, it was the same chick. The first vet diagnosed coryza and said that the whole flock would get it (which was incorrect - zero respiratory symptoms), and recommended supportive care. The next vet provided us with topical antibiotics/eye ointment, 10 days, which worked like a charm, until last week, when whatever it was came back with a vengeance. It was almost overnight. Suddenly, the chick stopped eating and drinking and became very listless. The eye was swollen shut. We resumed the antibiotics, which treated the eye well enough. The chick (now codename "Blinky") got better when we gave water via dropper and started eating again. Blinky rallied for a few days, but was still pretty listless.
The poop was very thick and yellow - think lemon pudding - with spots of green in it. Whatever it was, it wasn't contagious. We haven't been able to find any info on the what the ailment might be based on faeces. We think Blinky had some kind of internal organ problem, but we aren't certain. Rest of flock is perfectly healthy and is fine.
In the end, all Blinky did was sleep all day and refuse to eat or drink. With no real possibility of improvement, we felt the kindest thing would be to let Blinky go.
Thank you for all your help and suggestions, it is appreciated.
 
Sorry for your loss, but you did the best for her. She may have had a secondary E.coli infection, and that can cause bright yellow poops. Her immunity probably was poor from the beginning. Hoepfully, no more will get sick, but it probably was a respiratory disease such as MG or coryza that can make your other chickens or new members sick.
 

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