Help with Pullet Eye Problem

[AtillaHen]

My White Rock pullet has been having eye issues. She is now 12 weeks old and it started 6 weeks ago with a bump on the inner corner of her eyelid. It cleared up in about 2 weeks, and then about a week later she got another bump on the upper eyelid. Then yesterday, her whole eye started drooping. She keeps rubbing her eye on her shoulder, so that may be what is causing the droopiness? She doesn't show any sign of illness, and the pupil seems to be normal size. None of the other 6 chickens are affected. Any suggestions on what it could be?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you get a better photo of the eye?

You could try applying an eye ointment like Terramycin in the eye to see if that helps.

 

[AtillaHen]

Here is another photo. Terramycin can't be shipped to Calif. Is there an alternative?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Here is another photo. Terramycin can't be shipped to Calif. Is there an alternative?

Are there bubbles in the eye too?
A sunken eye like that could indicate respiratory disease like Mycoplasma.
Flush the eye with saline and apply plain neosporin is another route you can go since you are unable to get Terramycin.

If she doesn't improve or worsens, then getting some testing to find the cause would be a good idea.

 

[AtillaHen]

No bubbles or respiratory symptoms. She has a good appetite. Because of the bumps on the eyelids (one now and one previously), I thought it could be Marek's but I really don't know what it is. I will try the saline and neosporin.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The bump may be early stages of Fowl Pox, hard to tell.

 

[AtillaHen]

Looking at pics of fowl pox - it certainly looks possible.