Help! Hen with Eye Swollen Shut

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Today I noticed my hen's left eye was completely swollen shut--out of nowhere (I check on them periodically throughout the day). She's eating, drinking, active, etc. and no signs of sneezing or fluid that I can tell. Could this be an illness? Injury? Anyone know what I can do for her?

Thank you!!

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

One more shot ... A bit closer

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Update: upon closer inspection she does have a milk discharge binding the eye together and a clear discharge running out of her eye. I tried to gently open it up to clean but couldn't quite do it. She's acting fine but it looks so uncomfortable! This is new terrain to me--any help is much appreciated.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

@rosemarythyme you were so helpful here I'm hoping you might be able to help with this pop up issue that has me stressed. What a week.

 

[rosemarythyme]

@rosemarythyme you were so helpful here I'm hoping you might be able to help with this pop up issue that has me stressed. What a week.

Hi, I don't have a lot of experience with eye injuries so hopefully someone with more knowledge can help out. I see some swelling but thankfully it doesn't look injured so hopefully it's something more temporary, like some sort of irritation.

The last time I dealt with a swollen eye the source was actually mites, but you could see scabbing around the eye from the mite bites, and there's no scabbing like that here.

One thing you can try to pick up a product like Vetricyn plus ophthalmic gel and just flush out the eye as best you can. Seems to help soothe irritated eyes a little bit.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Looks like her eye is swollen. Might have been pecked or stung by a bee. Vetricyn would help definately. If you dont have it try rinsing the eye with saline. You can also give children's liquid benadryl to try and take the swelling down. No more than 1/2 ml once a day and no more than 3 days.

 

[Eggcessive]

Many times a swollen eye can be due to a respiratory disease such as MG. Sometimes a sting or a peck wound may be the reason. I agree that you can clean the eye with saline eye wash, or use Vetericyn eye gel or Terramycin eye ointment in the eye twice a day. Plain Neosporin Ointment will work as well.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Looks like her eye is swollen. Might have been pecked or stung by a bee. Vetricyn would help definately. If you dont have it try rinsing the eye with saline. You can also give children's liquid benadryl to try and take the swelling down. No more than 1/2 ml once a day and no more than 3 days.

How do you prepare saline? I did spray her with some vetericyn before she went to bed and put a little Neosporin around the swollen area outside her eye as a hail Mary. It's very swollen but there's also white goop holding it shut.

My initial thought was injury (bee sting, peck, etc) since it was so sudden. I then read up on eye worm and it sounds similar except there were no symptoms until the dramatic ones today (I look at them good every day, multiple times--quite the helicopter chicken mom).

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Many times a swollen eye can be due to a respiratory disease such as MG. Sometimes a sting or a peck wound may be the reason. I agree that you can clean the eye with saline eye wash, or use Vetericyn eye gel or Terramycin eye ointment in the eye twice a day. Plain Neosporin Ointment will work as well.

That's basically what I did so far (sans saline). It's so swollen shut/sealed that it's hard to actually get a look in there--looks painful . Do you know where I can get terramycin?

Would there be other symptoms for MG? She doesn't smell, no sneezing/coughing or fluids from her nose. Seems to be breathing normal and quite active/spunky despite the glaring eye injury/infection.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Update 2: seemed even redder and more puffy when she went to bed. Hopefully vetericyn/Neosporin will give her some relief tonight. Poor thing!