Help! Hen with Eye Swollen Shut

[rosemarythyme]

Thanks, me too! Unfortunately we can't get her in till Monday. Hope she'll be okay till then! Meantime I'll get saline solution. How do you recommend applying--syringe?

That should be fine. Or if you get saline in a bottle with a squirt top you can probably just squirt it direct from bottle (avoid actually touching the eye with the bottle). You just want to flush it out best you can (ideally enough that she can open the eye a bit, but I would not force it open).

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

That should be fine. Or if you get saline in a bottle with a squirt top you can probably just squirt it direct from bottle (avoid actually touching the eye with the bottle). You just want to flush it out best you can (ideally enough that she can open the eye a bit, but I would not force it open).

Good to know. I'll start adding that to her care tonight. Luckily she still isn't showing respiratory signs though her poor eye is still so swollen and glued together looking (I don't know that anything will get in there but I hope some seeps in).

That said she's still enjoying herself--dust bathing, scratching around, eating, taking good poops, so I'm hopeful she'll be okay till we can get her looked at next week.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

@rosemarythyme @Ninjasquirrel
Update: she's doing much better after two days of (2x/daily) saline drops and antibiotic eye ointment. Her eye is open, only slightly watery, and almost looking normal except for a bit of swelling along the lids. I'm thinking this was a bug bite/sting or injury. Her eyeball itself looks great--bright and clear.

I'm guessing I won't have to go the vet--at least not for her. Now I've got another chicken mystery brewing. It's literally been one after another this summer--as soon as one hen is almost better another one starts having issues. Does this happen in droves to anyone else? So stressful!

P.S. Thank you for your help in this thread.

 

[rosemarythyme]

Sounds good! And yes a bug bite is a possible culprit, since I saw what mite bites could do to an eyelid.