Hen and chicks blind because of fowl pox, gentle remedy ?

[GodofPecking]

I have a lovely hen, a good mother who had four chicks to start, but is down to two. One of the chicks is assumed to have died as it was blind and hasn't been seen for a few days.

The mother has gone blind now because of the pox infection on her face, same for one of her two remaining chicks, and the other can see from one eye.

To try to reduce the swelling, and mass on their faces, some suggested iodine which amazingly I have a little of (there are a lot of 'product' advertised which I do not have and cannot get). I don't have many things at all that I could treat them with, perhaps vinegar, bleach, cooking oil, spirits, petrol, lemon juice those sorts of things I could use.

Is there something gentle I might have that can make things fall off their faces so that they can eat and drink again before they pass away, I only have poor luck feeding them, though I shall try again soon.

I did not use the iodine yet as it is going to get in their eyes and that would cause great pain. I would rather avoid the great pain for them.

 

[Eggcessive]

You can make homemade saline to clean the eyes by adding 1 tsp of salt to a quart (4 cups) of water, and boiling it for a few minutes. Store it in a clean jar. That can be used to clean the eyes. Your iodine can be used to paint the scabs away from eyes to help dry up the scabs. You can buy plain Triple Antibiotic Ointment for a dollar at most Dollar Tree stores, and you can put that into the eyes twice daily to help prevent infection.

I would mix some chick or flockraiser feed with a lot of water, and try to get them all eating from a scoop or small bowl. Pox is a very serious illness for baby chicks, much more than for grown chickens.

 

[GodofPecking]

>You can buy plain Triple Antibiotic Ointment for a dollar at most Dollar Tree stores, and you can put that into the eyes twice daily to help prevent infection.

I'm not in your country, can't do that. not sure what equivalent, but would prefer to use a food if possible, so it would do the same work, but gentle.

>Pox is a very serious illness for baby chicks, much more than for grown chickens.

yes, I've read that.

>I would mix some chick or flockraiser feed with a lot of water, and try to get them all eating from a scoop or small bowl.

I'm thinking I need to find a syringe somewhere or make one. I'll use their normal food if i can. some bread in water or chicken pieces or something.

 

[Eggcessive]

A small spoon held to the side of the beak might work in feeding or a dropper for the chicks. A syringe would work fine if you can get some. Saline is good to use in eyes, and would be nontoxic.

 

[GodofPecking]

>Saline is good to use in eyes, and would be nontoxic.

agreed. salt.

I better go get a cardboard hospital to put them in.

 

[GodofPecking]

One more of the chicks passed away. When I went to get them, one was missing. Apparently being blind it had gotten lost and entered a cage and being blind couldn't find it's way back to the mother's calls. It died of exposure. I thought it may have been the one who went missing a day or two ago, and that may still be the case. I thought so because it happened so fast, it was alive hours ago. So only one left.

They're both indoors and unortunantly have some lice as well, so have to powder them with lime soon. I did manage to help them drink, so I'll probably try to buy some milk and feed them that. I think it might keep them alive.