Eye Infection

[baabs9698]

It's her comb. As she grew it got really lumpy like that. I can't tell if it's supposed to be that way or not, especially now that she is ill. I look back on pictures and she didn't have it at all but she was also very young and the comb was just starting to come in (see picture of my avatar).

 

[baabs9698]

Thank you for the assistance, yes I believe she has Fowl box (dry type). She has one large crustation blocking both nostrils and I'm torn, i don't know whether to try and remove it or let it fall off. She doesn't scratch it and is now feeling much better, now that she can see out of both eyes. She had a nasty case, blocking both eyes with scabs so she didn't feed. She's foraging (supervised always), we disinfected the pen (i only have two chickens) and they are now back in their home. I use a rabbit hutch (a pretty nice double decker one with a little partition that was to be sleeping quarters i guess). The birds roost in there at night, and there is even a little door i open to gather eggs. They both seem very happy but I understand the incubation period can be quite long, 21 days, so Fred (female) may also get it. They are both on antibiotics, as i think Wilma had some secondary stuff going on.

I am hesitant to mess with her scabs on her nostrils ...i know just like human chicken pox they leave scars and I would think a scar there could be particularly harmful. We disinfected everything, though the two of them are in close proximity and I'm sure. The thing that gives her greatest trouble is the eyes. So warm water, gently tapping to help clear the eyes, and then i have a gel especially for that (anti fungal/bacterial), and it keeps them moist. She doesn't much like being messed with now that she's feeling better and can see what's coming at her eyeball, but she tolerates it. I do notice a lot of weeping after cleaning the eyes, sometimes, they stick shut after that (she closes them because it bothers her and then they dry that way). So, I'm trying to take my cues from her and let it heal.

Does anyone have any other suggestions? I think I'm doing all i can for her, luckily we don't have to multiply this like some of you with large flocks.

We are very new at this and it's nice to be a part of a greater community. i will try to pay it forward! Will post pictures and results as things are updated. Hopefully it will help someone else who is trying to figure out what their chicken has gotten in to!

 

[baabs9698]

thank you so much for that, at least I knew what to look for, my local feed store had it!

 

[baabs9698]

Your other hen is an Easter Egger by looking at the photos.
Some will be quick to jump to a respiratory infection, but I have heard these same symptoms that a friend of mine had experienced. She had lab tests done on them, and it was the human equivalent of pink eye.
The treatment was water soluble antibiotic powder, though I'm not 100% on what it was called. I'll get back to you.

She lays pretty colored eggs, she just started laying. Thanks for letting us know what she is!

 

[baabs9698]

Thank you AOXA!

 

[froggiesheins]

Just saw this thread and sure as shooting thats fowl pox. It appears to be very dominant this season. I have seen alot of it in southern California. Its a pain in the tush when it invades the eyes/ears/nose and/or throat. The BEST thing you can do is get anitbiotic EYE ointment for her eyes. Vetrycin now sells eye ointment. Fowl Pox is a viral infection, but any other things like eye/ear problem is secondary and is bacterial so it is treatable. I just had a little banty that had a nasty case of pox and a secondary infection in one ear.....SO much pus came out after I took off the scab. He also had the eyes closed for almost the entire span of the pox [which is about a month]. Treated the eyes with antibiotic [human] eye ointment and the ear with antibiotic ][human] ear ointment. He crowed today for the first time! WOOT he feels good again.

I hope that was helpful for you.......

 

[baabs9698]

Thank you froggiesheins. It's always much more helpful when you know what it is. II'm so glad your little boy is feeling better! (I'm in Southeastern Texas, btw, hot and humid here most of the time)

My Wilma has been on antibiotic eye treatment for about 4 days now, that's how i was able to get the scab off her eyes so she could see again. When she can't see, she won't eat. Both chickens are also on antiobiotic (starts with an O..thats the brand name) in their water for 5 days.

Do you see the big crust over the nostrils? I hesitate to try and remove it...first of all because it's hard as a rock and secondly I'm worried about it damaging her beak. She appears to be dealing ok. It's the same color as the other scabs on her comb, so I'm hoping it will fall off in time (everything I've read about the Pox says the scabs do fall off), but it is possible this is dried snot? I'm not sure what to do!!! Try to remove it or not?

 

[froggiesheins]

Does that scab hamper her breathing? IF it does, you can take tweezers and a steady hand and try removing as much as you can from the actual opening of the nose.
For this Yucky disease, TLC goes a long way in helping ease the discomfort of waiting for the virus to run its course. Extra food goodies/ electrolytes/vitamin water/etc.....are always helpful..lol

 

[baabs9698]

She doesn't appear to have trouble breathing. I'm afraid of damaging the tissue underneath. I took some pics today and one of the nares appears to be open ...she rolled around in the sand for about an hour, looked as happy as the ducks do splashing in water.

I made them oatmeal this morning and they have been getting lots of mealworms and even bought them some crickets to get her to use her eyes and catch them. She is feeling well enough now that she really doesn't want me messing with her face, she sits quietly on my lap but won't hold her head still, even with two of us working her! I got crusties off the eyes and the ointment in her eyes and thats about as much as i can do without totally stressing her out Here her eye looks cloudy but I think she blinked, plus she's covered in sand. They had a sandblasting party!

 

[froggiesheins]

As long as she can breathe, just wait for it to loosen. So glad to hear she wants to paraty in the dirt!
Remember: fowl pox is caused by a virus [not treatable-have to let it run its course] but one can get secondary infections that are bacteria [in your case its in the eyes] that IS treatable.....