Eye Problem Worsening, I'm Getting Panicky**Update**

[peepinglaura]

I have no idea what to do about my chicks' eyes. I hatched these guys in the incubator after the eggs were orphaned. Two of the chicks have one eye each that is hugely swollen and completely shut. I have tried antibiotic eye ointment, antibiotic solution in the drinking water, tea on the swollen eye, and even an anti inflammatory eye treatment to relieve sty symptoms. I'm out of tricks, and I don't want to do anything to worsen the problem. However, desperation is definitely setting in.

Any thoughts?

Thanks so much,

Laura

 

[peepinglaura]

I should mention that otherwie, they seem in good health.

 

[Andora]

Do you think they might have hatched with a disease? Where did the orphaned eggs come from? The only time I've ever had chicks with pasted shut eyes, some of them swollen, was when I had coryza in my last flock. Sulmet "cured" the chicks' eye problems.

I wish I had a quick fix to help you.

 

[peepinglaura]

Thank you- I don't know what Sulmet is but I'm off to research it and find out. The flock is seemingly very healthy. The mom was eaten by a fox. However, the eggs were filthy. I just threw them in the incubator because cleaning them seemed impossible. I assumed they got bacteria from the shell. However, they have not yet responded to terramycin ointment. I found a vet who will look at them for $150, with the disclaimer that they may not be able to help anyway.

Thanks,
Laura

 

[CheepSunglasses]

I had a chick with a respiratory infection that responded to Tylan. His eye was huge, gunky and shut. I put terramycin in it every day for two weeks. Even once he felt better, that eye stayed swollen for a long time. Today, you'd never know he had a problem with it. Just be patient. Sometimes, it takes awhile for the swelling to go down. Just make sure that you are also treating the underlying cause.

 

[peepinglaura]

Thank you. I have no idea how to determine the underlying cause. The only presenting symptom is this crazy eye thing. It' good to know the eye may respond yet to ointment.

Laura

 

[CheepSunglasses]

Identifying the underlying problem can be tough. I tried Sulmet early on, with no real improvement. But I did a lot of research, reading up on old posts on BYC, as well as internet sites that described the various chicken ailments. I finally found one site that helped me to conclude that I was probably looking at MG. So I switched to Tylan and the results were impressive. He felt better within 24 hours, and was asymptomatic within a couple of days. I treated the eye with terramycin for two reasons. First, it kept it moist and protected, as it started out gunky and crusty. This just helped him feel better. But I also hoped to ward of any secondary infections that might crop up because his eye was so inflamed. It took about a week and a half after we finally beat his respiratory problem for his eye to start looking normal. After all that homework, I'd recognize this disorder again, as well as a few others. But for me, it was a real labor of love. Lots of work, but the results were good.

 

[peepinglaura]

When I look up Tylan and Selmut, they are defined as "solutions," or "treatments" or "flock management tools." What are they? Antivirals? Antibiotics? Other?

Cheepsunglasses, I agree with the research. I'm a researcher by nature (and formally by profession), but I just can't find a symptom that fits!

Laura

Sorry- Editing because I finally found out what it is- a broad spectrum antibiotic.

 

[pips&peeps]

Unthrifty chicks usually grow up to be sickly, unthrifty birds.

They could have MG or MS.

 

[peepinglaura]

I don't mind if they're not very productive. I just want them to survive and not infect my flock. I don't plan to spend $150 at the vet, but I'll do what I can for them here, I guess. I've been lucky to have never had to deal with this before!