My silkie rooster has eye worm..

[Wyorp Rock]

View attachment 1037022

I've just noticed there's a bad smell too..

Hi @zombieduck


Can you post a clearer photo?
Can you take him to a vet?
Also can you give a hint about your location in the world - that is helpful as well

It's hard to see in the photo - but it looks like your chicken has crusty yellow pus in the eye along with facial swelling. Have you noticed mucous from the nostrils, sneezing, coughing as well?

You also mention there is a bad smell - is that coming from the discharge from the eyes/face?

I am inclined with the swelling, eye crust and bad smell you are dealing with a respiratory disease like Infectious Coryza instead of eye worms. Flush the eye and remove any pus that you see. Apply some Vetericyn Eye Gel or Terraymycin eye ointment. If it's infection due to respiratory illness, he may need antibiotics as well, if you have a vet that can help you that would be good.

If it is eye worms, you should be able to see worms in the eyes. See the link that @coach723 gave you - it has some good info on worms.

 

[zombieduck]

Hi @zombieduck


Can you post a clearer photo?
Can you take him to a vet?
Also can you give a hint about your location in the world - that is helpful as well

It's hard to see in the photo - but it looks like your chicken has crusty yellow pus in the eye along with facial swelling. Have you noticed mucous from the nostrils, sneezing, coughing as well?

You also mention there is a bad smell - is that coming from the discharge from the eyes/face?

I am inclined with the swelling, eye crust and bad smell you are dealing with a respiratory disease like Infectious Coryza instead of eye worms. Flush the eye and remove any pus that you see. Apply some Vetericyn Eye Gel or Terraymycin eye ointment. If it's infection due to respiratory illness, he may need antibiotics as well, if you have a vet that can help you that would be good.

If it is eye worms, you should be able to see worms in the eyes. See the link that @coach723 gave you - it has some good info on worms.

Sadly, no I can't get him to a vet. I live in Kentucky if that helps and today he seems more energetic and there's no smell so maybe it wasn't coming from his eye at all? I'm confused :shrug:

Also, he's had all the symptoms of the worms for a long time until this point..

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sadly, no I can't get him to a vet. I live in Kentucky if that helps and today he seems more energetic and there's no smell so maybe it wasn't coming from his eye at all? I'm confused :shrug:

Also, he's had all the symptoms of the worms for a long time until this point..

So, you were seeing worms in the eyes?

 

[zombieduck]

So, you were seeing worms in the eyes?

no I haven't seen them

 

[Wyorp Rock]

So, you were seeing worms in the eyes?

no I haven't seen them

This is what eye worms look like:

Here's a list of poultry diseases:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

This is what eye worms look like:

Here's a list of poultry diseases:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[zombieduck]

This is what eye worms look like:

Here's a list of poultry diseases:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

At this point I'm pretty certain that it is eye worms (without actually confirming by checking for them and as bad as it sounds I haven't prepared myself to look. Yikes. Especially not after that video). Because as long as he's had discharge from the eyes - which is about 2 years now - none of the other chickens are showing any signs of infectious coryza which would pretty much be impossible after all this time, wouldn't it?

EDIT:

I've watched videos of chickens with infected coryza and he doesn't have ANY nasal discharge so I'm confident that's not what it is.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

That's good if it's not a respiratory illness - you don't want that for sure.

Hopefully you will be able to check the eyes soon and get rid of the worms.

 

[Kiki]

2 years is a very long time.

 

[Chickenlover2017]

Go to a vet that is the safest you don't even know if veritex works

 

[RodNTN]

I agree, go to the vet.