monkeybutter99
In the Brooder
- Mar 19, 2023
- 16
- 5
- 49
4 days ago i took home a new hen - Im taking an animal science class at school, in which we get to go outside sometimes and help out with the animals, and Thursday of last week I noticed one of the hens (a 2 year old easter egger) seemed to have gotten an eye pecked out by one of the others - they are usually kept in the coop, so obviously i just assumed they get bored and pick on each other or maybe its an issue with too many in the coop. Her eye seemed normal but just shut, we gently opened it and sure enough there seemed to be absolutely no eye in there, however it looked completely fine almost like she just never had an eye.
Ive always really liked this hen even though she wasnt mine and on Friday I asked if i could take her in and my teacher gave her to me. Before I left with her, we noticed her eye was open again and it was definitely in there. It seemed just barely to the side and darker in color, and also very glossy. I took her home and isolated her in a coop and watched her for a bit, and she kept drinking a lot of water. Shed scratch the ground a few times and then immediately drink again, and i dont think she ate this day other than a little scratch and a few mealworms. Other than this she wasnt acting abnormal at all, she was up on her feet the whole day either scratching or just walking around the coop, and she was even trying to fight one of my other hens through the chicken wire of the coop at one point. She would not go to the top of the coop when it was dark or get on the roost on her own so i helped her, and also had to help her down the next day but shes since been able to do it on her own.
After doing a little research friday i also flushed her eye with saline and then i put some microcynAH on it. That same night i ordered some terramycin and have been putting it on her eye 2-3 times a day and flushing her eye around 2 times a day for the past 3 days. There was nothing in her eye, no pus or crust, its just watery/glossy. Her bottom eyelid has been just a little swollen, only up at the top. The swelling has been the same since friday. She still keeps it closed from time to time. I do believe she is definitely blind in this eye as she cant see me coming from that side and ends up getting spooked when she finally turns her good eye towards me.
I dont think she ate that much saturday or sunday, i mostly saw her just pecking at grass, but today i finally saw her eating from the feeder and her crop felt about halfway full. Ive noticed shes been having clear, liquidy poop with some solid which i guess isnt abnormal considering shes been drinking alot of water and not eating quite as much as she should, but it is still a little worrying; today i did see two small poops that looked of normal consistency though. Ive also been seeing her briefly open her beak and close it and im not sure what thats about, her breathing seems completely normal and i dont hear anything. Despite all of this, she is energetic and spunky, very vocal and just overall seems pretty normal.
I want more than anything to be able to help her, ive never dealt with eye issues with my chickens and dont know if theres more i need to be doing or if i should just continue the treatment ive been giving her and stick to that.
Ive always really liked this hen even though she wasnt mine and on Friday I asked if i could take her in and my teacher gave her to me. Before I left with her, we noticed her eye was open again and it was definitely in there. It seemed just barely to the side and darker in color, and also very glossy. I took her home and isolated her in a coop and watched her for a bit, and she kept drinking a lot of water. Shed scratch the ground a few times and then immediately drink again, and i dont think she ate this day other than a little scratch and a few mealworms. Other than this she wasnt acting abnormal at all, she was up on her feet the whole day either scratching or just walking around the coop, and she was even trying to fight one of my other hens through the chicken wire of the coop at one point. She would not go to the top of the coop when it was dark or get on the roost on her own so i helped her, and also had to help her down the next day but shes since been able to do it on her own.
After doing a little research friday i also flushed her eye with saline and then i put some microcynAH on it. That same night i ordered some terramycin and have been putting it on her eye 2-3 times a day and flushing her eye around 2 times a day for the past 3 days. There was nothing in her eye, no pus or crust, its just watery/glossy. Her bottom eyelid has been just a little swollen, only up at the top. The swelling has been the same since friday. She still keeps it closed from time to time. I do believe she is definitely blind in this eye as she cant see me coming from that side and ends up getting spooked when she finally turns her good eye towards me.
I dont think she ate that much saturday or sunday, i mostly saw her just pecking at grass, but today i finally saw her eating from the feeder and her crop felt about halfway full. Ive noticed shes been having clear, liquidy poop with some solid which i guess isnt abnormal considering shes been drinking alot of water and not eating quite as much as she should, but it is still a little worrying; today i did see two small poops that looked of normal consistency though. Ive also been seeing her briefly open her beak and close it and im not sure what thats about, her breathing seems completely normal and i dont hear anything. Despite all of this, she is energetic and spunky, very vocal and just overall seems pretty normal.
I want more than anything to be able to help her, ive never dealt with eye issues with my chickens and dont know if theres more i need to be doing or if i should just continue the treatment ive been giving her and stick to that.
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