Hen with a Weepy Eye

[Crumbling Beauty]

One of my hens has an eye that I can only describe as weepy. I noticed it a couple of days ago, and thought maybe someone here could give me some advice for a treatment. Attached are two photos of the eyes in question, and one of the "healthy" eye (though looking at the photo, maybe it's a little weepy, too?). She's been wiping the side of her face against her shoulder and the feathers there are somewhat yellow. None of my other chickens are having any trouble, and I'm certain that no one is picking on her. Is it possible that she has a cold? Thanks for any help.

Bad eye

Bad eye

Good eye

 

[dawg53]

There are 2 ways you can go about this problem in my opinion...It could be a bacterial infection in the eye. If it is, I would put some terramycin antibacterial ointment in her eye to help clear it up. The other is possibly a respiratory issue and this is what I suspect it is. You could purchase tylan 50 injectable and give it to her orally and it should clear up in a few days. Oral dosage is 1/2cc once a day x7 days, down the throat.

 

[Crumbling Beauty]

Thanks for your reply

.

Do you know where I can purchase tylan 50 injectable? It makes sense that it might be a resperatory infection, as you suggest. She is the only one of my chickens that breathes somewhat audibly (she has been that way since I brought her home last fall), and she stretches her throught and gapes her mouth occasionally, though she does not have gapeworm.

She is a very small bantam cochin--is the dosage the same, regardless of weight?

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Use 1/4cc on your bantam...same length of time. Feed stores, TSC normally carry tylan 50 injectable. Jefferslivestock.com carries it for less than $10. It is normally used for cattle and swine.

 

[Crumbling Beauty]

The more I read about the Tylan, the more I began to worry about her size and the side effects of the original, intramuscular application of the antibiotic. I was able to talk my way into some clavamox (which I have used on chickens before), so that's what I'm using. She seems better after a bath, and just 24 in the chicken infirmary.

Your diagnosis was spot on, dr.

. Thanks!