Irritated Eye

[sandesnow]

Hello all. So, 6 days ago I hatched out 6 lovely RIR chicks. 3 days ago, I heard some loud peeping coming from the brooder in my front room and noticed a chick with one eye closed. Upon examination, I noticed it looked irritated. Red in the corner (closest to the beak). The chick doesn't look ill, nor does anyone else have any issues. The chick eats and drinks and moves about fairly well (the eye isn't crusty nor has it been at all during the last few days). So I am fairly sure this is more an injury than an illness.

I have been treating with polysporin eye/ear drops a couple times a day and today I put a smudge of neosporin on the eye. I am just wondering if I am doing the right thing? And if anyone has done the same and had success.

The eye doesn't seemed to have worsened at all... but the poor thing tries to scratch it at times. Is there a way I can keep it from further injury during the time the eye is trying to heal??

Thanks in advance.

 

[sandesnow]

So....

I kinda went on instinct with this... On the day I noticed the injury, I began treating the eye with polysporin liquid drops. On the second day, I began treating also with a light coating of neosporin across the eye. I also treated the water with Electrolytes Plus in the water. (1/4 tsp into 2C water) for stress, as I didn't want the chick to stop eating or drinking.. as it was, with the one eye closed, it was having some difficulties finding the food container and the water dish, however, remained fairly consistent in eating and drinking.

I have seen considerable improvements since adding the neosporin into the mix of things and we are on day 4 of treatment. I do one drop and one coating 4 times a day and this is where we are:


There is a HUGE difference between tonight and 4 days ago. I did get a chunk of gunk (cheese like) out of the eye this morning, so am figuring that was infection. But, the eye is open and looking Much better. I wish I had taken a pic on day one, as it was really red, violent angry red, swollen and held closed.

Even with these improvements, I intend to treat the eye until minimum 7 full days.


Hope this post can help someone else!

 

[sandesnow]

And just to update, I continued the treatment for about 9 days total, and you can not tell today what one had the bum eye. RIR's will be 4 weeks tomorrow. =)