My chick is 3 days old and has a swollen eye!

[TheDocter21]

My chick is 3 days old and has a swollen eye. She is one of 9 chicks we got from the store. I read about using saline solution to wash out her eye. Any suggestions?

 

[FishMtFarm]

Flush the eye as best as you can. If it starts to get worse or swell shut, you can put liquid penicillin directly into the eye but I would only do that if the eye gets worse after trying to flush it a few times.

 

[ReseisCL16]

I had a chick named Ethel, she's a real quack now, but she had a swollen eye for the first month of her life. She actually had something stuck in it. Check for that and then rinse it.

Flush the eye as best as you can. If it starts to get worse or swell shut, you can put liquid penicillin directly into the eye but I would only do that if the eye gets worse after trying to flush it a few times.

 

[FishMtFarm]

If there is something in there, a good flush should loosen it and make it come out. Do it soon before the eye gets so swollen that you can't get it open. Probably a piece of bedding or chick food.

 

[TheDocter21]

Should I still use saline solution?

 

[FishMtFarm]

Yes you can use saline solution. Just make sure to keep the face down and flush from the back of the eye to the front. Keeping the beak pointed down will prevent baby from inhaling and aspirating on the saline.

 

[TheDocter21]

How long will it take for the swelling to go down after I flush it out? When should I worry about it being something else?

 

[FishMtFarm]

Eyes heal quickly once the object is out so if the flushing works, you should see an improvement in 24 hours. If it stays the same or gets worse within two to three days, then I would consider trying something else.

 

[Eggcessive]

Chicks sometimes will peck at each other’s eyes because they are shiney objects. Saline can be used, but Vetericyn eye wash or eye gel from feed stores is also useful. Hopefully, it will heal soon.

 

[FishMtFarm]

I use the vetricyn eye wash on my birds and I highly recommend it. It's also pricey and not every feed store carries it so saline will do what it needs to do. Didn't think to mention the vetricyn. Glad you brought it up @Eggcessive!