Eye Issue and Re-introducing Chicken Back to Flock

[jslater14]

As long as there is infection in there, the pus will just continue to regenerate. You may need to flush it out daily until it starts to get better. I would flush once, remove any visible pus, apply the ointment after that. The terramycin goes IN the eye. Easier if you have one to hold the bird and one to apply the ointment, but you can do it by yourself, wrapping the bird in a towel like a burrito with her head sticking out can make it easier to hold her wings. Just hold the eye open, put a small amount, 1/8 to 1/4 inch in the eye. It's formulated for eyes and will dissolve and spread pretty quick. I would do it 2-3 times a day. If the other eye looks fine, then just treat the one, if the other has any issues, I would treat both eyes.

Ok, thank you!! Quick request - can you scroll above and look at the hard puss pic, the one with the black on it. Someone said it looks like her cornea was removed and I’m freaking out I hurt her

 

[coach723]

Honestly, I don't know. It's possible. In the last picture, there is too much gunk in the eye to tell for sure, but there may be eye damage. If that is the case, and her other eye is ok, she can adapt and still do well. She would always be at a disadvantage since she wouldn't be able to see from that side. Having said that, even totally blind birds can survive and do well with some allowances for their disability, and protection from predators. I have a totally blind hen, both eyes. She lives in a smaller run with two other hens that she gets along with. Food is always where she can find it, not moved around, same with water, and the crate she sleeps in. Her outside run is covered and fenced so that she is safe from predators during the day, and she's locked in at night. When I'm around her I talk to her so she knows I'm there and isn't startled. So a bird with one eye would still be able to see with the good eye and could probably remain with the flock, but that would depend on the actual flock dynamics. She would be at some higher risk from predators. They, the flock, tend to key off of each other, so if someone alerts she will still react to that. If one of my birds alerts, the others just react and they all take cover, whether they saw the threat or not.
Having said all that, the infection needs to be taken care of either way, or it will just get worse. And don't beat yourself up. The pus had to come out, and stuff happens, things don't always go as we plan or intend. Accidents happen.