Looking for advice on chicken eye issue

[GreeneStThugs]

Hi there,

Thanks for reading, I really appreciate any suggestions.

About a week ago I noticed one of our hens keeping one of her eyes closed. I kept an eye on her and didn't notice a runny nose or any excess mucous, but her eye stayed closed and began to look like it had some crusted blood and puss holding the eyelids together. She was foraging, eating and drinking but did seem a bit more lethargic than usual. I began to clean the outside 2x day with warm water and a q-tip, use a sterile saline from an animal first aid kit to rinse it out the best I could, and applying erythromycin ophthalmic ointment. I have been gently prying her eyelids open to put in saline and the ointment but have only seen white or yellow, like her eye is rolled back in her head. I have been trying to keep her separate from the other gals, giving her water with electrolytes, small amounts of scrambled eggs along with her regular food. Her poop is watery but she's still eating, drinking, foraging, and constantly trying to escape her temporary housing to return to the main coop. My guess is that she was pecked in the eye, she is on the lower end of the pecking order but usually there isn't too much roughhousing and its not an issue. Today I noticed she was keeping her eye open but you can't see the eyeball, just a yellowish glob. I have attached pictures, one of them showing her good eye.

I'm not sure what to do other than continuing to clean out the outside and applying the erythromycin ophthalmic ointment but I'm wondering if its like a puss covering or glob and what I should do about it. Thank you any advice would be greatly welcomed!

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Oh dear. I don’t really know how to help... unfortunately most people are logged off for the night, but there’s always the chance someone is up. I myself and going to log off soon... I’ll see if I can find any articles on eye infections.

 

[Lemon-Drop]

I didn’t find any good articles to help you, I’m sorry. I’ll see if I can try and help you more in the morning, but I’m pretty tired.

 

[GreeneStThugs]

Hi Lemon Drop,

Thanks for trying!!

 

[Lemon-Drop]

I forgot to look more! How’s she doing now?

 

[GreeneStThugs]

Hi Lemon-Drop,

Thanks so much! She's doing about the same, but today did talk to a friend of mine who is a human ophthalmologist who gave me the advice on getting her on an oral antibiotic as well. I have some Tynal 50, so was able to give her her first dose today. If there isn't any improvement by Saturday, I think I will take her to an avian vet.

Thanks again for all your concern!
Paige

 

[Lemon-Drop]

Hi Lemon-Drop,

Thanks so much! She's doing about the same, but today did talk to a friend of mine who is a human ophthalmologist who gave me the advice on getting her on an oral antibiotic as well. I have some Tynal 50, so was able to give her her first dose today. If there isn't any improvement by Saturday, I think I will take her to an avian vet.

Thanks again for all your concern!
Paige

I hope she gets better! I’m sorry I’m not a big help.

 

[micstrachan]

An avian vet would be great. I do think the pus will need to be physically removed. If an avian vet can do it for you, great! If not, here is one video of using a curette:

And here is a video of a combination of gently squeezing it out and using forceps.

And there’s this video: