Eye problems

[polishcourt]

Polish hen has had ongoing eye issue with swelling and drainage treated a month ago with Tylan injected for 5 days and it got much better with only residual swelling now much worse with clear smelly drainage

This was just discovered during a lice treatment yesterday it did have quite a bit of lice surrounding it I have had problems with lice on and off and discovered another infestation yesterday

 

[polishcourt]

I've seen that most eye problems are due to a respiratory infection I'm trying to narrow down what I'm against here!

 

[Eggcessive]

Mycoplasma ( MG,) coryza, and other respiratory diseases can cause a swollen goopy eye. E.coli and other bacteria can make it worse. Did the eye initially have a bad smell that might indicate coryza? MG is treated with Tylan and oxytetracycline, while coryza can be treated with sulfadimethoxine and sulmet from the feed store. It may be best to get the chicken tested to know for sure what you are treating, especially since those diseases are chronic, and can make carriers of your flock. MG can also spread through hatching eggs.

 

[polishcourt]

Yes a test would be ideal I will contact my vet and see if that is possible the polishs eye was not smelly initially I intentionally smelled at it multiple times in the beginning because I had researched eye problems and the smell distinguished Coryza and no smell but now there is a slight to moderate odor so I am confused

 

[polishcourt]

What are your thoughts on the other hen as it looks totally different just red swollen inner membrane with scabbing and bleeding

 

[Eggcessive]

The second chicken could have the same problem, but it also could be an injury from pecking, and infection could be a problem. Usually chickens with respiratory diseases, especially coryza, would have coughing, wheezing, nasal drainage, along with the swollen face or eye. With MG, symptoms can be less noticeable depending on the strain.

 

[polishcourt]

Dang this is quite distressing I guess I need to test these sick birds and go from there ! If I do not plan to hatch or sell any chicks at this point are these diseases above treatable long term or is culling ultimately the most successful solution in your opinion eggcessive

 

[Eggcessive]

You can close your flock to any new birds, and no selling or giving away birds or hatching eggs, and treat your sick birds. The others may already be carriers, so you would have to cull all birds on the property, clean, and wait a few weeks before getting new birds to toally get rid of a disease such as MG or coryza. That's why testing is so important, to know if it is a disease or not. Here is a good link to testing labs around the country, and the second is contact info for your state vet to ask any questions or ask for a necropsy on a bird that dies (which is a good way to find out what disease is going on):
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahln/downloads/all_nahln_lab_list.pdf
http://www.usaha.org/Portals/6/StateAnimalHealthOfficials.pdf

 

[polishcourt]

I really appreciate your help on this