Hen's eye has been injured

[RoosterOnWatch]

Hello all!

I'm a first time chicken owner and I arrived back from school and discovered my splash-Australorp, Tincel, with an eye injury, she was just standing underneath some shelter not being very active (it was raining at the time). I checked on her and discovered her eye was swollen up as seen in the image. She is currently being kept in a warm box (as seen in the image) and in a dark room to keep her calm. She's eating fine like she usually does, she is standing, talking a bit, and moving her head around alright (although keeping it at an angle when resting), however, she isn't drinking any of the water I show her.

I'm hoping it isn't her open eye itself that has been pecked but rather the outside but I'm wondering where I should go from here, I think it's a good idea to make a saline solution to wash the wound with a cotton tip (something I am planning on doing) but if you guys have any advice, I'll be very glad to hear it.

Thank you and God bless.

 

[Stipenvlerk]

Hi Rooster, Welcome to BYC!

Yes, cleaning the eye with a saline solution is a good first step to investigate the extent of the wound. Keep your chicken warm and isolated until her eye is reasonably healed. Watch out for signs of an infection the coming days...

 

[RoosterOnWatch]

Hi Rooster, Welcome to BYC!

Yes, cleaning the eye with a saline solution is a good first step to investigate the extent of the wound. Keep your chicken warm and isolated until her eye is reasonably healed. Watch out for signs of an infection the coming days...

I've used a cotton tip and just rubbed and dabbed the wound on her eye, should I keep cleaning until her eye opens? Or does that take a while?

 

[Stipenvlerk]

I would not manipulate the eye more than neccessary. This might cause irritation by itself.
However you need to make sure all dirt is out as this can be a cause of infection later on. How is the eye looking now? is it possible to make an upclose picture?

 

[RoosterOnWatch]

The eye is still closed, it looks like the wound is in the very top right of the eye. Here's an image of how she's going.

 

[theoldchick]

Flush the eye with STERILE saline solution and apply terramycin ointment twice daily for 5 days and reevaluate. You can buy the ointment at Tractor Supply. Keep up the good work!

 

[RoosterOnWatch]

Flush the eye with STERILE saline solution and apply terramycin ointment twice daily for 5 days and reevaluate. You can buy the ointment at Tractor Supply. Keep up the good work!View attachment 3679554


View attachment 3679555

I haven't been able to get any antibiotics yet, I'll attach an update image of her, it looks like the swelling has gotten worse but she is drinking and acting normal. I haven't noticed any pus yet. Should I try to open the eyelids at all?

 

[Stipenvlerk]

If the swelling is getting worse, you need to try and get antibiotics. I recently had a duck with eyeproblems and the Vet subscribed this: cavasan eye ointment. Quite strong, works excellent. This can harm your animal when used wrong in to high dosis and for a long period of time. But works so well with eye infections! Where I live this is used for humans too and in England you seem to just able to buy it over the counter.

I don't know wat the rules are in America.

You could try to open the eye, but please don't manipulate the eye unnecessary!
And in case you didn't know, Puss is not a thick liquid like in humans. It's a stringy kind of solid mass...

There are many other topics about swollen eyes on this forum.. like this one.. This might help you although the cause seems to be different for the swelling....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-with-swollen-eye.1454034/

 

[RoosterOnWatch]

If the swelling is getting worse, you need to try and get antibiotics. I recently had a duck with eyeproblems and the Vet subscribed this: cavasan eye ointment. Quite strong, works excellent. This can harm your animal when used wrong in to high dosis and for a long period of time. But works so well with eye infections! Where I live this is used for humans too and in England you seem to just able to buy it over the counter.

I don't know wat the rules are in America.

You could try to open the eye, but please don't manipulate the eye unnecessary!
And in case you didn't know, Puss is not a thick liquid like in humans. It's a stringy kind of solid mass...

There are many other topics about swollen eyes on this forum.. like this one.. This might help you although the cause seems to be different for the swelling....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/chicken-with-swollen-eye.1454034/

I live in Australia, but I'll try to get antibiotics ASAP, I think I'll consult a vet before doing anything drastic so I won't touch the eye yet. However, I have only recently just noticed a transparent white liquid coming out of her eyelid, only a droplet of it, is this a sign of infection?

 

[Stipenvlerk]

Good idea to go and see a Vet. Hopefully your vet sees chickens Where I live, most dont.
The liquid very well can be a sign of infection! Wash your hands before and after you touch her. You probably won't get anything from it, but better safe than sorry...

Google told me about the cavasan:
In Australia Minims Chloramphenicol is supplied by: Bausch & Lomb (Australia) Pty Ltd