Eye Infection?

[jslater14]

One of our girls started acting a little off the last few days. A couple days ago she would just sit by a bush, which wasn't terribly odd, but not something she really does. Yesterday I noticed her sitting by a bush again, just hanging out. Again, not something super weird but usually they are kicking dirt on themselves when laying there, or they choose to hang out under our patio table.

Then yesterday evening, my husband was putting them up in the run and said she was just standing there with her eye closed, almost like she was sleeping standing up. He had to tap her to get her attention. I checked on her again yesterday evening and she was just standing in the run, with her eyes closed again, like she was standing up sleeping. She also retreated to her roost super early and went to sleep.

This morning she was moving around and eating (although not super full of her normal energy) but I'm starting to think something is wrong with her eye, like an infection or something. This is the best picture I could get, but she's keeping her right eye closed and when she does open it, it looks almost glazed over.

Does this seem to be an eye infection and how do I treat??

Also, can we eat her eggs if she has an infection?

 

[AidKD]

Exactly what's been happening to my rooster. I've started hand feeding him cause he won't eat anything. I've been putting apple cider vinegar and vitamin C from a capsule in his water, and vitamin C, a pinch of pepper, and basil in his food. Just started doing this last night so I'll let you know my luck with it. I'm really not sure what it is. I thought respitory infection first, but not so sure now.

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

She might have something wrong with her eye or she might just not be feeling well. If she is more fluffed up than usual or holding her tail down (or other strange postures) she is likely ill with something else. It's hard to tell from the distance but her eye doesn't look swollen or like it has discharge which would be signs of infection. If something is wrong with the eye it might just be dust or a pecking injury. The glazed eye you saw is likely just the chicken's third eyelid or nictitating membrane. I'd get a hold of her, flush out her eye with sterile saline solution or other eye wash and check it for any signs of irritation, injury, etc. You can also check her over for other common symptoms: check her crop (if it feels huge she may have slow/sour crop), feel her belly for lumps or swelling or squishiness, check her vent and try to get a look at her poop. Is she laying regularly? No egg issues?

 

[jslater14]

She might have something wrong with her eye or she might just not be feeling well. If she is more fluffed up than usual or holding her tail down (or other strange postures) she is likely ill with something else. It's hard to tell from the distance but her eye doesn't look swollen or like it has discharge which would be signs of infection. If something is wrong with the eye it might just be dust or a pecking injury. The glazed eye you saw is likely just the chicken's third eyelid or nictitating membrane. I'd get a hold of her, flush out her eye with sterile saline solution or other eye wash and check it for any signs of irritation, injury, etc. You can also check her over for other common symptoms: check her crop (if it feels huge she may have slow/sour crop), feel her belly for lumps or swelling or squishiness, check her vent and try to get a look at her poop. Is she laying regularly? No egg issues?

We moved her into a dog cage in the garage and gave her an antibiotic shot at someone’s recommendation. I couldn’t find any strange looking poop in the coop or run.

She’s just standing there and does seem hunched with her tail down. Her right eye is permanently closed. Hasn’t laid today but has been laying. She ate a couple blueberries I gave her but hasn’t really eaten other than that.

She’s pooped once and I will say it looks off. Pic attached

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

How old is she? Is her abdomen between her legs and under her vent squishy? The tail down posture is common with discomfort from egg binding or ascites. Since she has been this way for a few days I don't think she is truly egg bound, but she could be having issues from increased abdominal pressure.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Her right eye is permanently closed
Hasn’t laid today but has been laying.

Her right eye is open in the photo.

She has the stance of a hen that is not feeling well. Perhaps having a hard time expelling and egg or she's having some reproductive problems.
I'd get some extra calcium into her. You can find Calcium Citrate with D3 in the vitamin aisle of stores like Walmart, CVS, etc. Give 1 tablet daily, just pull down on her wattles, pop the tablet into the beak and let her swallow.

Her poop is off, check to make sure her crop is emptying overnight. Consider getting a fecal float to rule out worms and Coccidiosis as part of the problem.

 

[jslater14]

Her right eye is open in the photo.

She has the stance of a hen that is not feeling well. Perhaps having a hard time expelling and egg or she's having some reproductive problems.
I'd get some extra calcium into her. You can find Calcium Citrate with D3 in the vitamin aisle of stores like Walmart, CVS, etc. Give 1 tablet daily, just pull down on her wattles, pop the tablet into the beak and let her swallow.

Her poop is off, check to make sure her crop is emptying overnight. Consider getting a fecal float to rule out worms and Coccidiosis as part of the problem.

Whoops sorry, I meant left! Her left eye hasn’t opened in days.

Last night I was able to get her to eat some (mostly meal worms, but it was something) and drink some water.

She’s starting to sound like she has a runny nose, like a respiring infection.

Should we continue to give her the antibiotic shot?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Whoops sorry, I meant left! Her left eye hasn’t opened in days.

Last night I was able to get her to eat some (mostly meal worms, but it was something) and drink some water.

She’s starting to sound like she has a runny nose, like a respiring infection.

Should we continue to give her the antibiotic shot?

Photo of the left eye then?

Check inside her beak for any lesions, mucous, yellow or white pasty material.
Make sure her crop is emptying overnight.

Have you added any new birds in the the last 30 days or have you had respiratory illness in your flock before?

What antibiotic are you giving?

 

[AidKD]

My rooster has started improving significantly over the course of today. I had to force feed him a couple of times though. Vitamin C and Vitamin E oil would also be a very good thing to give her.

 

[jslater14]

Photo of the left eye then?

Check inside her beak for any lesions, mucous, yellow or white pasty material.
Make sure her crop is emptying overnight.

Have you added any new birds in the the last 30 days or have you had respiratory illness in your flock before?

What antibiotic are you giving?

Sorry for the delay in response! Pic of eye is below.

No new birds have been added.

Update - I ended up taking her to a vet that sees chickens on Friday. She said that she definitely had some type of infection in her left eye and found an inflammed area on her left under belly by her leg. Other than that, she wasn’t sure what was wrong. They prescribed an oral antibiotic twice a day and an oral anti inflammatory/pain every 24 hours.

I’ve seen some improvement but not much. She’s definitely more mobile around the yard and eating, but not as much as she normally does. She slept on the nesting box last night

Today she walked around the yard pecking at stuff, but then the other picture is how she is currently. She either sleeps standing up or lays down like this.

Should I consider euthanizing? I don’t want her to suffer