Eyes sealed shut & not eating or drinking - day 2!

[ElizaChick]

Our small 2-year-old chicken was still on the roosting bar mid-morning yesterday. Her eyes were basically sealed shut and she was weak & uninterested even when I picked her up (which I've never done before). I have her isolated in a cage in our house, and no other birds have these symptoms. (See 3 pictures below.)

I have been using Poultry RX 5x a day on her since yesterday. She temporarily seemed better this morning but is worse tonight. This morning, one of here eyes was completely open, and now both are shut again with her occasionally opening them.

I've been mixing the oil with water and cleaning her eyes and beak and rubbing it under her wings. I've also put some undiluted drops in her cleft and wiped it away when it came out her eyes and nostrils. I ran some in a humidifier, too. I am following the directions to the best of my ability, but I'm wondering if I'm overdoing it.

She is not really eating or drinking, so I've used a syringe to give her a little bit of water. (And I put some probiotics in it.) She pooped once this morning: it was hard & white. I'm looking for advice besides "give her antibiotics," though if I need to hear that, please tell me!

 

[azygous]

Do you have access to an antibiotic? It may be a good idea. She's obviously very sick.

There is a chance she has a bacterial infection from something she ingested such as rotting vegetable mater. Or she could have a crop disorder making her sick. Is her crop very full, lumpy, and hard? Or is it very full and squishy like a water balloon?

It's important to rule out a crop disorder before using an antibiotic.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would clean her eyes with some saline or eye wash, and apply 1/8 inch of antibiotic ointment (plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment) into the eyes twice a day. VetRx, while some use it, is just herbal oils with some camphor. If she has a swollen eye or sticky eye drainage causing her eyes to stick together, she may have a respiratory disease such as MG. Tylan would be good to use for MG. You may find injectable Tylan 50 or 200 at your feed store, and give it orally, and we can give dosage. Oxytetracycline is another antibiotic that can be used as well.

You may have to hold watery chicken feed and fluids up to her beak several times a day, since she cannot see well enough to eat. Cooked egg or tuna with a little water would also be good. Sick birds do not take enough liquids. Poultry NutriDrench 2 ml daily might also give her a boost.

 

[ElizaChick]

Do you have access to an antibiotic? It may be a good idea. She's obviously very sick.

There is a chance she has a bacterial infection from something she ingested such as rotting vegetable mater. Or she could have a crop disorder making her sick. Is her crop very full, lumpy, and hard? Or is it very full and squishy like a water balloon?

It's important to rule out a crop disorder before using an antibiotic.

Her crop seems fine. She has been free ranging, so she could have eaten anything. Can you get antibiotics for chickens from the co-op or tractor supply?

 

[ElizaChick]

I would clean her eyes with some saline or eye wash, and apply 1/8 inch of antibiotic ointment (plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment) into the eyes twice a day. VetRx, while some use it, is just herbal oils with some camphor. If she has a swollen eye or sticky eye drainage causing her eyes to stick together, she may have a respiratory disease such as MG. Tylan would be good to use for MG. You may find injectable Tylan 50 or 200 at your feed store, and give it orally, and we can give dosage. Oxytetracycline is another antibiotic that can be used as well.

You may have to hold watery chicken feed and fluids up to her beak several times a day, since she cannot see well enough to eat. Cooked egg or tuna with a little water would also be good. Sick birds do not take enough liquids. Poultry NutriDrench 2 ml daily might also give her a boost.

Thank you for responding! I've never treated a chicken before, so this is new and we're on Day 3 of her being sick. At this point, I feel like I'm torturing her by doing the Poultry RX 5x a day. Her eyes have pale yellow-to-clear goop that I've been wiping away with a damp cloth 5-6x a day.

I just looked up what MG is and just read an article on Tylan. I will plan to get some tomorrow, though I'm very intimidated by giving her shots. She's really little. I've been giving some water via syringe because she's not drinking, but I'll look for NutriDrench tomorrow. Thank you for the suggestions about helping her eat. I'll take any other advice you can give me!

 

[Eggcessive]

You may give the Tylan injectable orally, let us know what strength you have.

 

[ChickNanny13]

If her poop is "hard" she maybe dehydrated also. if you can get her to eat some moist (water or even Nutri Drench) feed, try getting more liquid into her?

@dawg53
@casportpony

 

[ElizaChick]

I contacted 4 vets today and couldn't get any antibiotics for chickens. I got some LA-500 (oxytetracycline) at the co-op and the tiniest little needle they have. She's a really small chicken - weighs 1lb. Should I give 1/2 cc or 1 cc? And can I give some orally, or does it need to be injected into her?

 

[ChickNanny13]

Call the Co - Op to ask the dose ....

@Eggcessive
@dawg53
@casportpony
@Wyorp Rock

 

[Eggcessive]

How much does she weigh?