Need help identifying eye problem in chicks

[Her name is Helen]

Hi!

New here and am pulling my feathers out trying to figure out what is wrong with several dozen of my 4- to 8-week old chicks. First an eye is closed, only one or two chicks have had bubbles in their eyes, the inner corner of the eye is pink and enlarged, the eyelid shape is not round (kinda flat on the top) and the feathers become ruffled. They seem to be eating and drinking well enough but they aren't actively looking for food and water or perky like normal. After time, one chick (Helen) had it really bad and had a smelly piece of white stuff about the consistency of cottage cheese come out of her eye for several days. I thought it was her eyeball at first and I am happy to report that it wasn't. Oh, now some of the chicks are getting rattly in their chests and there's a little watery discharge (no smell, not sticky) from some noses going on here and there. Doesn't help that the outside temp has been in the 30's the last two nights so I put a heat lamp on them. Fortunately no one has died from this.

This is what I have done to treat: Made a hospital hutch for the sick ones. Neosporin in both eyes first and bird vitamins in the water. Quite a few got better right away and I moved them in with the well chicks. Thought it was Marek's because some eyes were cloudy and treated with hypericum - no immediate change but no blindness or cloudy eyes remain. Still had sick chicks so I tried Terramycin in both eyes once a day. If I missed a day or went 36 hours without treating, they seemed to get worse. Some are slowly improving, but not quick enough for my taste. Helen has improved (named her after Helen Keller because she couldn't see out of either eye and she was feisty when I went to put anything in her eyes!) and the cottage cheese has been reduced. She can open her eyes, but doesn't seem to want to much. Tonight I'm trying bird vitamins directly down the throats of the 16 that are still sick (and some new ones so it's contagious) along with Terramycin in the eyes. Some have improved and I'm running out of Terramycin and so I used Neosporin in those eyes until my order of Terramycin arrives. And tomorrow I'm going to disinfect everything top to bottom as everyone including me is getting tired of this.

I've spent 3 hours online tonight researching these symptoms and can't find anything decisive. Does anyone know what this is? Helen and I would really like to know. ;D

 

[NateinFL]

Keep the sick birds separated, sanitize thoroughly living quarters of remaining birds. Get them all on electrolytes to boost immune system. Do more research on what it is I'm not good at that part but when u find out get them medicated ASAP. Hope this helps. Time is of essence when dealing with disease. You gotta be quick as disease spreads rapidly.

 

[4-H chicken mom]

and

from Ohio. So sorry to hear of your troubles. Maybe if you can get some pics it might help with ID. I know how frustrating it is when you can find any info. on something. I agree with nathhowe on the electrolytes. They will need a boost. Don't let them get chilled on the cold nights. As far as what meds, you are doing what I would do. Good Luck and keeps us informed of their progress.

 

[hen-thusiast]

Have you seen this link? This might help.

http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pwhjQ6Yng877iz_JNiCN1IQ

What do the poops look like? Yellowish, diarrhea, anything like that? It kind of sounds like infectious coryza with the smelly discharge, watery eyes closed shut. I could be entirely wrong though, I'm still have a lot to learn. Good luck!