Hen With Swelling Around 1 Eye - What Is This? UPDATE - POST #9

[RhodeIslandRedFan]

Please see information and pictures below. I first noticed my hen had swelling around her eye when I let her out of the coop this morning. When I got home from work it did not seem any worse, so I decided to just observe to see if it clears up on it's own. Other eye is normal, no other symptoms. Any ideas what this is? After researching I'm thinking just a local infection since only 1 eye is affected and she has no other symptoms. If I do need to treat, is Neosporin OK to use in and around the eye? I've seen conflicting information on using it to treat eye conditions. Thank you ahead of time for your responses!

1) What type of bird , age and weight. RIR about 19 months old, weight unknown
2) What is the behavior, exactly. Swelling around 1 eye, other eye and all other behavior is normal. No respiratory symptoms or eye drainage. Comb and wattles are pale as she has just finished a hard molt and has not resumed laying yet.
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? Fine yesterday, first noticed it when I let her out of the coop at 5:30 this morning.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? No.
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. No.
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. No apparent or known injury. No sign of pecking by others.
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. Eating and drinking normally.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. Normal
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? None.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? I'd like to treat myself if I can. Will take to a vet if necessary.
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. Pictures below.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use. Small coup housing 3 hens. Pine bedding cleaned daily.

Swollen Eye

Normal Eye (that is food on her beak)

 

[MaureenL128]

This happened to me last summer with one of my girls. I used Tylan 50 powder in their water and it seemed to help. The only thing people told me was it could be a sinus infection. Sometimes the get ckear bubbles coming out of the eyes or nose. We let all the girls drink the water with the Tylan in it and didn't eat the eggs while they were one it and at least a week after they were off.

 

[RhodeIslandRedFan]

Thank you for your response, MaureenL128! I appreciate your information. I believe I can easily pick up some Tylan 50 at Tractor Supply, and I've found information on the dosage on this site. I'm glad to hear you had good results with this.

Anyone else have experience with this condition? I'd like to hear from you.

 

[chickmommar]

I have a very similar problem with a guinea hen. She is swollen around one eye and the other is fine. She's had this now for about 3 weeks with no real change. None of the other guineas, chickens, or turkey have developed any problem. We've tried various topical antibiotic ointments and drops in her eye with no real changes. I will be very interested to hear how things go for you or any other ideas people have.

 

[jjthink]

This happened to my Ellie and it resolved in a matter of days. I ordered eye meds for this from First State Vet Supply but at this moment can't think of the name of the meds (annd I'm at work so can't hunt down the container). If you contact FSVS they can send you teh right stuff.
JJ

 

[jjthink]

Actually, I just remembered that I have a whole thread on this here on BYC. If you do a search under jjthink you'll find it, complete with photos and the name of the meds. I'm on deadline here at work and am just able to check in here briefly (while on hold on a telephone call) so I can't do that search for you right now but you'll find it if you just call up my threads.
JJ

 

[mrsengeseth]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=349463 i think that's the thread you were referring to. HTH

 

[jjthink]

Yes, that's it! Thank you

. Meds are named on p.4.
JJ

 

[RhodeIslandRedFan]

Thank you so much to each of you for your replies, for all of your great information, and for the link. I appreciate all of your responses! I searched before I posted and most of what I found talked about respiratory illness. I dreaded opening the coop this morning, thinking I would find her face horribly swollen, her dead, or everybody with swollen faces. She was about the same this morning, but when I checked her after work I saw that the swelling has gone down and she looks a lot better. I am hoping this continues. I haven't started any treatment yet, but I am going to purchase some of the medications mentioned to keep on hand, just in case. Right now I would rather see if it clears on its own. Kinda worried about tonight not knowing what this is, as the forecast low temp is 9 degrees. Poor girls.

I am still trying to come up with a way to bookmark and organize really good threads I come across for future reference, so that I'll be prepared when illness strikes. Haven't got the right system yet.

chickmommar - good luck with your guinea hen. I hope something in this thread will help you in treating her. Keep us posted on how she is doing!

I'll let you know how my hen is in a day or 2, or if anything changes.

 

[jjthink]

It is stinkin' cold out in these parts! My roo is not cold tolerant so I have ceramic heat lamps (which produce heat, not light) in the coop and this is helping to get him through. It's well over 40 degrees in there with the energy equivalent of just a couple of light bulbs. I may keep him cooped up till we get through the next few utterly frigid days and nights, except for short spells over the weekend when I'm around to let them stretch.....

Hope your girl will be okay....
JJ