Hen with an eye problem

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

My husbands cousin has a hen that has an eye infection. This is the way he described it to me. He said he opened her eye and her eyeball its self looks ok. Her eye is swollen shut and he said that it was green like gain green on the outside. He said it is running a little and she doesnt have a cold or runny nose that its just her eye. Any thought on what it could be. I cant post pictures because it isnt my hen and its not here. Thanks

 

[Pyxis]

I had a hen with an eye infection that I adopted from someone because they thought she had cataracts and was blind. She most likely got pecked in the eye by another chicken. By the time I got her, it had progressed to a corneal ulcer. I also had a chick with an eye infection that most definitely got pecked in the eye.

To treat the hen, start by cleaning off the eye, and maybe dripping some saline solution (like the stuff you use with contacts) into it gently with a dropper, just to clean the gunk and any irritants out. If it looks really bad, I will suggest he take her to the vet if that's an option. If it's not, he can get some stuff called erythromycin from the vet or online. It's a cream for eyes, and that's what I treated my hen with. Terramycin would work, too, and he can order it online.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

My husbands cousin has a hen that has an eye infection. This is the way he described it to me. He said he opened her eye and her eyeball its self looks ok. Her eye is swollen shut and he said that it was green like gain green on the outside. He said it is running a little and she doesnt have a cold or runny nose that its just her eye. Any thought on what it could be. I cant post pictures because it isnt my hen and its not here. Thanks

Most probably staphylococcus, as it's goopy production takes on a greenish hue after it's dried out a bit ... may be a bit more difficult to get rid of, but it's likely to cost her an eye if it's not cleared up.

Johnson & Johnson's 'no more tears' shampoo is great, as they can start by holding a soakin' wet warm cloth on her face (so as to soften the pasty stuff), and then place a very small amount directly w/in the eye, gently working it 'til they can see suds forming.

Following this up w/ about a pencil lead sized spot of neosporin 'original' antibacterial ointment (w/o pain reliever) will work, as it's the exact same ingredients as their prescription ophthalmic formulation, except that it burns a bit ... terramycin makes an ophthalmic solution that can be purchased on eBay* (I think I paid eight bucks for three 3.5g tubes, including shipping), and it's much better, as it's active ingredients are Oxtetracycline and Polymyxin B, which work synergistically, and can really clear up infections super fast.

Doin' this two or three times a day would be ideal, and at least once a day for a few more after the infection can no longer be seen in the eye.

* Terramycin received wasn't labeled in English, but is Pfizer's product intended for foreign market.

 

[harleyguy927]

I just bought some stuff called vetericyn. It's a wound & infection care liquid spray. It works for birds does not sting. And it specifically says on the back of the bottle that it treats eye infections. I got it at my local cal-ranch store (farm supply) the makers website is vetericyn.com. it also says they are on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. I just bought it and haven't used it yet. But it may help you. Good luck.

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

i just talked to him and he said her eye looks good its just on the outside of it and that her breathing is fine no signs of a cold or anything like that.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

i just talked to him and he said her eye looks good its just on the outside of it and that her breathing is fine no signs of a cold or anything like that.

If it's on the outside? It came from the inside ... still needs cleansed out ... even if only w/ the cheapest saline solution intended for soft contact lenses works to rinse eyes/sinuses out.

Also, it could be signs of a viral infection, so I'd sorta keep some distance between their flock 'n your own ... folks forget to clean up 'n change or disinfect shoes before/after visiting one another's birds, which is a pretty serious problem for poultry everywhere.

 

[the3ofus+oursixchicks]

thanks to you all i will pass along the info.