Help! Rooster with one swollen eye and pale face

[Adriaraquel]

Hello! I’ve noticed that my rooster has a swollen eye on only one side of his face plus around the eye is a little pale. He’s been closing it for most of the day like he’s in pain. He’s been doing this for about 3 days now. He’s still eating a lot and drinking water. He walks around normal as well. I don’t know if this is an emergency but I don’t know what to do... thank you! I’ve attached pictures! The below picture is his other eye that looks okay! I should mention he’s kind of like a free wild chicken he just goes wherever he likes and comes back to eat at our house. He’s the only chicken we own. It’s also been really windy and rainy where I live.

 

[azygous]

You seem to be pretty attuned to this fellow in spite of him being a "loner". Do you think he will allow you to handle him?

The treatment for the swollen eye is the same whether it's caused by an injury or respiratory disease. You need to flush the eye with saline, then put terramycin eye ointment in the eye twice a day until it clears up. (Or use original Neosporin.)

If that doesn't effect improvement, then you may need an oral antibiotic such as Tylan or penicillin. He can have a baby aspirin directly onto his tongue twice a day for pain.

 

[Adriaraquel]

You seem to be pretty attuned to this fellow in spite of him being a "loner". Do you think he will allow you to handle him?

The treatment for the swollen eye is the same whether it's caused by an injury or respiratory disease. You need to flush the eye with saline, then put terramycin eye ointment in the eye twice a day until it clears up. (Or use original Neosporin.)

If that doesn't effect improvement, then you may need an oral antibiotic such as Tylan or penicillin. He can have a baby aspirin directly onto his tongue twice a day for pain.

Thank you so much! I will do that! I have Neosporin + pain relief is that okay? Or should I get the original? Also how do I put it in his eye? Again thank you so much!

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Could you look at his sore eye and look for any injury to the top and back? Look inside for any debris. It looks like his has conjunctivitis or pinkeye. I would follow Azygous’s advice to flush the eye, and apply Terramycin or plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment twice a day—just open the eyelids and put a dab inside the eye. You can buy saline eye wash for about $3-4 at most Walmarts and pharmacies.

 

[Adriaraquel]

Welcome to BYC. Could you look at his sore eye and look for any injury to the top and back? Look inside for any debris. It looks like his has conjunctivitis or pinkeye. I would follow Azygous’s advice to flush the eye, and apply Terramycin or plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment twice a day—just open the eyelids and put a dab inside the eye. You can buy saline eye wash for about $3-4 at most Walmarts and pharmacies.

Thank you!! I’m going to do that! Should I put it in both his eyes to be safe or should I just put it in the infected eye?

 

[Eggcessive]

Just in the sore eye will be fine.

 

[azygous]

Chickens can't handle pain relievers in ointments, so always go for plain. The baby aspirin will take care of the pain.

 

[Adriaraquel]

Chickens can't handle pain relievers in ointments, so always go for plain. The baby aspirin will take care of the pain.

Thank you all so much! Baby aspirin? What does that look like and where would I find it?

 

[azygous]

You can only find it in northern Africa. Just kidding. It's in the drug store right beside the adult aspirin and the ibuprofen. It says "chewable children's 81grain" on the box.

 

[Eggcessive]

Aspirin 81 mg low dose, or 1/4 of a 325 mg aspirin is what you need. We haven’t given babies or young children aspirin for 40 something years, due to Reyes disease, but low dose aspirin used to be called baby aspirin before all of us old farts started taking it for heart health.