Major swelling under the eye...What do I do????

[newchickowner]

About a week ago I noticed my young rooster not chasing the ladies like he usually does. I didn't see anything wrong with him upon inspection at first - he's eating and drinking regularly and he is "getting some" from the ladies, but not nearly as aggressively. But after a few days I noticed swelling under his eye and he was squinting on that side. I felt it and it was hard. I researched on the forum and didn't find anything having to do with anything like this, so I contacted an old contact that we bought chickens from in the past and he said that from what he knew it happens sometimes and no one really knows what causes it, though it is suspected mosquitos are the cause. He reccommended Terramycin and keep an eye on him.

The instructions are vague on the package, it says to give continuously and continue for 7-14 days. I wasn't sure what they meant by continuously, and the chicken contact warned me of overdosing my chicken so I started out with a couple of teaspoons the first day. Within 24 hours, the swelling reduced some, and I thought I was doing good. But the next day it was back to the way it was, and within 48 hours he can't even open his eye and it's so swollen that I'm afraid the skin will break!!! I brought him in the house and put him in my garden tub in my bedroom. He's eating and drinking fine. I put the Terramycin in a bowl of water so he can drink freely and he can't have any access to any pure water supply.

Does anyone have any experience with this???? what should I do?? am I doing the right thing???

 

[therealsilkiechick]

from my experience and training u r seeing conjunctividous. it's either a respitory infection started or signusitous. the med u r useing should be everyday for 10 days if i remember right from what the state vet told me. 4tsp per gal every time u change the water. if the water turns brown change it, that means the meds r no good from the sun light. if not better in 10 days stop for 7 days and do another 10 day round of it. u should treat whole flock to keep it from spreading or they will just pass it back and forth.

i stopped useing the powder it got to be expensive with my lrg flock of about 200, i use tylan an injectable antibiotic u use 3-5 days but usually 3 is all they need. u only need to use this one only on those who have signs and symptoms. depending on which tylan u use depends on how much injection they need and their age/weight. this one is a med for cattle but is fine to use on poultry. with any antibiotics u do not eat any laid eggs or chickens takeing it for at least 14 days after the meds is stopped so u are not takeing in the antibiotics u r feeding them.

i would also use sterile saline and a clean q-tip or cotton to try to clean his eye. when the meds have worked for long enough the swelling will go down and be fine. as long as u are cleaning where the lid shuts together it won't stick shut so much on him and help it also to open.

if it is not taken care of now it will get worse and spread and may lead to many other problems way worse. nip it now while u have caught it early.

hope this helps if u need anything pm me,
silkie

 

[newchickowner]

thanks so much, I've got him isolated, so that was a good move! The only difference was that the package says 1tsp per gallon, do you reccommend I up it to 4 tsp per gallon?

 

[sammi]

I'd clean his eye as suggested..try and get some terramycin eye ointment and treat the eye with that.

I'd go with the Tylan or erythromycin for systemic treatment.

 

[dlhunicorn]

DITTO on the above suggestion if possible.
YOU NEED TO CHANGE THE WATER DAILY (and not wait for it to be brown or whatever) This is crucial when you give antibiotics in the water...after 24 hours make up a fresh batch.

 

[newchickowner]

Thanks guys!!! I do change the water every morning (that's when he's the thirstiest) The swelling has gone down by half now that he's isolated and he's had two solid days of the medicated water. I'll be sure to go to the feed store today and see if they have the medicated eye ointment. They're closed on the weekends. By the way, when I open the eyelids myself, his eye looks fine, the swelling is beneath it........kind of what a tear duct infection would look like in a human.