Help! Hen with Eye Swollen Shut

[Ninjasquirrel]

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).

I usually just go to the pharmacy and purchase sinus wash packets. They're fairly cheap. Mix one packet with about a cup of distilled water. I have allergies so I'm prone to sinus infections and always have them on hand for my netipot. I think last time I bought them it was 20 bucks or so for 150 packets. I doubt it's eye worms. More than likely she just got pecked in the eye. Just keep an eye out for drainage or wheezing which would indicate a more serious illness

 

[Eggcessive]

Walmart and many drug stores sell saline eye wash (Bausch and Lomb) for about $4. It has saline, boric acid and some other ingredients safe for the eye. You can make normal saline by boiling 1/4 tsp of table salt in 8 ounces of water, and then cool it. Terramycin Ointment is found in some feedstores, so ask a cleak to unlock it. Here is some reading about MG:
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/ext... Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf

https://thepoultrysite.com/disease-...tion-m-g-chronic-respiratory-disease-chickens

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

I usually just go to the pharmacy and purchase sinus wash packets. They're fairly cheap. Mix one packet with about a cup of distilled water. I have allergies so I'm prone to sinus infections and always have them on hand for my netipot. I think last time I bought them it was 20 bucks or so for 150 packets. I doubt it's eye worms. More than likely she just got pecked in the eye. Just keep an eye out for drainage or wheezing which would indicate a more serious illness

The eye was weeping slightly (clear, tear-like)and has a whitish film gluing it shut (it's also super swollen). Is that the kinda drainage you mean? Otherwise no drainage from other eye, nose, beak, etc. And there hadn't been leading up to this sudden turn.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Walmart and many drug stores sell saline eye wash (Bausch and Lomb) for about $4. It has saline, boric acid and some other ingredients safe for the eye. You can make normal saline by boiling 1/4 tsp of table salt in 8 ounces of water, and then cool it. Terramycin Ointment is found in some feedstores, so ask a cleak to unlock it. Here is some reading about MG:
https://extension.umd.edu/sites/extension.umd.edu/files/_docs/programs/poultry/FS-1008 Recognizing and Preventing Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf

https://thepoultrysite.com/disease-...tion-m-g-chronic-respiratory-disease-chickens

Thanks for the resources. I'm thinking it *may* not be MG because of the sudden onset (only an hour earlier her eyes were bright and clear--then suddenly one was badly swollen shut out of nowhere). No other symptoms. But this could be wishful thinking...

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

The eye was weeping slightly (clear, tear-like)and has a whitish film gluing it shut (it's also super swollen). Is that the kinda drainage you mean? Otherwise no drainage from other eye, nose, beak, etc. And there hadn't been leading up to this sudden turn.

I was more talking about drainage from the nose which would make me this respiratory illness. Drainage from the eye itself could just be the eye removing infection. Like when you get pink eye and your eye gets crusty, it is just your mucosa filtering out bacteria. Definately try the saline 3 times daily and look for improvement.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

Thanks for the resources. I'm thinking it *may* not be MG because of the sudden onset (only an hour earlier her eyes were bright and clear--then suddenly one was badly swollen shut out of nowhere). No other symptoms. But this could be wishful thinking...

Respiratory illness can come on suddenly so just keep checking for wheezing and sinus drainage. As for now just treat like an eye injury. Respiratory illness will show within 2 to 3 days

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

I was more talking about drainage from the nose which would make me this respiratory illness. Drainage from the eye itself could just be the eye removing infection. Like when you get pink eye and your eye gets crusty, it is just your mucosa filtering out bacteria. Definately try the saline 3 times daily and look for improvement.

This morning it was so crusted shut and just a bit of prodding had some fluid weeping out. Still no drainage otherwise and no sneezes that I heard at least. She looks great if it weren't for the painfully swollen eye.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Respiratory illness can come on suddenly so just keep checking for wheezing and sinus drainage. As for now just treat like an eye injury. Respiratory illness will show within 2 to 3 days

I'll keeping looking out for those signs. In the meantime I may jump the gun and take her to a vet. It just looks so uncomfortable and I'd hate for it to become serious (and while we don't necessarily have the funds for regular chicken vet visits I'm never able to play it cool and wait it out, much to my SO's dismay).

Thanks again.

 

[Ninjasquirrel]

I'll keeping looking out for those signs. In the meantime I may jump the gun and take her to a vet. It just looks so uncomfortable and I'd hate for it to become serious (and while we don't necessarily have the funds for regular chicken vet visits I'm never able to play it cool and wait it out, much to my SO's dismay).

Thanks again.

Let us know what the vet says just in case someone else has the same problem. I hope she gets better!

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Let us know what the vet says just in case someone else has the same problem. I hope she gets better!

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?