Help hen very swollen around eye

[brianne1215]

Last night when I brought the girls in for the night I noticed one hen was swollen around her left eye. There was no discharge from the eye itself which looked healthy and clear but some clear discharge coming from somewhere closer to the mouth. This morning her eye was completely swollen shut. There was more clear discharge then last night and a small amount of discharge coming from the eye. It seems to be painful for her she is also not leaving the coop now but she is still eating and drinking.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. If your hen wasn't pecked in the eye, she may have a respiratory disease. Mycoplasma (MG) and infectious coryza are common ones that produce dramatic eye and facial swelling, although other diseases such as fowl cholera can also. If it is possible to separate her, it would be best, and if you want to treat with antibiotics, I would use Tylan 50 injection 1 ml for 5 lb (1/2 ml for under 5 lb) given as an injection 1/4 inch into the breast muscle with a 22 gauge needle every day for 3 days. If there is a foul odor around her head, it could mean coryza, and that will respond better with the addition of Di-Methox or Albon which are sulfa drugs. These diseases make carriers of your whole flock, and you must not sells hatching eggs or birds. Here is a link about the diseases: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[brianne1215]

Thanks for the reply. That's what I was afraid it might be I work at a vet and have some amoxicillin I was going to start her on tonight do you know if that is effective or should I get what you recommended? Also is it safe to continue eating her eggs? And at this age if she is sick and can spread something viral to the flock should we do away with her I don't like seeing her in pain.