injured eye-suggestions?

[lovinlife]

I was given a chick with a bad eye by the feed store manager. She said the chick was dying and if I wanted to try to save it I could have it.

This was the day I brought her home. She's a buff orpington. Her left eye bulges out and has a thick scab over it. The first day it looked really bad. I could see the eyeball moving around under the skin as she looked around. It was pretty swollen.

I've been using warm water and a cotton ball to try to soften the scab. I've been doing that twice a day. Her upper eyelid is now free from the scab and moves when I touch the upper lid as I'm applying the cotton ball. I'm very gentle and I hope eventually the scab will fall off. The swelling has gone down. I'll take pics tomorrow, if I have time.

I don't have much hope that the eye will be okay underneath the scab. I do hope the scab will fall off and the chick will be able to function as a healthy chick.

Do any of you have any experience healing something like this? Is there a better way to remove the scab? The chick does not like me putting the wet cotton ball on the eye. But, she's sweet enough and is very healthy otherwise. I'd like to be able to put her with my three EEs I got at the same time. But, I don't want to do that until I feel like she is not "injured" anymore.

Thanks!

 

[kathyinmo]

You can buy a little tube of Terramycin Ophthalmic Ointment at the feed store. It is a broad spectrum antibiotic and is effective in treatment of eye infections. I would use it 2 - 4 times a day and see if it helps.

 

[Surehatch]

Good call

 

[lovinlife]

This is her today. The scab fell off and they eye has dried out.

I'm calling her Ipod.

 

[lovinlife]

Oh, and I'll look for the Terramycin at the feed store tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion!