I don't know what to do!

[Tlw20202013]

I have 6, 7 week old chicks. I don't know what breed they are. They were bred for the Tyson company but we aren't going to eat them, they're going to be pets like my other 9. This morning I noticed that one of my chicks kept her eye closed while walking around. Only one. Tried to examine it. It looks watery from what I can tell and I think her top lid is swollen but I'm not sure. I can't get a great look because she doesn't keep it open long enough. When she does open it, she acts like the sun is too bright. She isn't acting lethargic or avoiding anyone. She follows me around like the others. Could she have gotten pecked? Is it just dirt? Or can she have an infection? Please help

 

[Fancypants1]

I would remove her from the group and maybe put a warm teabag on it. Keep her isolated until she is feeling better.

 

[Eggcessive]

Swelling around the eye and drainage can be as sign of mycoplasma (MG,) but it also could be an injury. You could flush out the eye with saline, and apply plain Neosporin or Terramycin ointment. Vetericyn gel can also be used instead. Make sure that conditions are not dusty, or that there is no ammonia odor from droppings in the coop, and provide as much ventilation as possible since chickens can suffer eye problems and respiratory diseases more often with those conditions. Are these meat chickens? They can suffer a lot of leg and health problems, since most butcher them around 8 weeks.

 

[Tlw20202013]

Yes, they were bred for meat. 7 weeks 3 pounds. I took another look at her eye, I think I see some bubbles but I'm not 100% sure... :/

 

[Eggcessive]

I would keep these chicks away from the rest of the flock, just in case of MG or another respiratory disease. MG can be treated with Tylan 50 injectible given as a shot into breast muscle or given orally once a day for 3-5 days. Dosage is 1/2 ml for under 5 lb and 1 ml for over 5 lb. This may help with symptoms, but MG is a carrier disease that can spread to all members of a flock. You could have testing done or send the chick off to the state vet for a necropsy to find out if it has this. Here is a link to read that includes common respiratory diseases including MG: http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[cafarmgirl]

I agree with keeping these birds well separate from your other birds and maybe having this chick tested to see what she has.

I know you want these birds to be pets but understand that meat birds aren't bred to be long lived. As mentioned, as they start getting past two or three months old they frequently have health problems, especially heart and leg problems due to their disproportion growth for their age. For that reason you also need to feed them differently then laying hens, they need to be fed a certain amount each day, not free fed, to control their growth. And maybe your already well aware of all this, I just hate to see anyone take on meat birds as pets and then be disappointed.

 

[Tlw20202013]

Ya I know they aren't bred to live long, that's what I told my mother but she brought them home anyway. I wanted some buff brahmas... They aren't with my other flock yet, we haven't introduced them.

 

[Tlw20202013]

Update: her eye is open this morning. Nothing seems to be wrong with it. No watering, no nothing. There's no sneezing or coughing like I read. No fatigue. Perhaps something simply got in there. I know meat birds won't live long, but they're really sweet and follow me around like I'm a mama hen. I can't bring myself to kill them or give them away or send them off to be tested... The only disappointment for me, would be me giving up on them. I'm stuck with them whether I wanted to be in the beginning or not. So the least I can do is try my best to care for them. Thank you for all your responses.

 

[Eggcessive]

A lot of respiratory and eye disease can be prevented with plenty of ventilation, and prevention of dust or mold. Cooler air helps too. Meat birds can live longer with free ranging, and placing feeders away from the coop to encourage foraging. With their breeding though, they do suffer leg bone deformities, and may suffer broken bones or destruction of tendons with time. Maybe finding someone in your area who would butcher them to feed their families would be a good goal.