New chicken rancher

[DongusEddy]

Thank you for the welcome. I already have a question. One of our hens about four or five months has what looks to be an infection in her right eye. It is closed and swollen. I have washed the eye with an ophthalmic boric acid wash. Then I applied triple antibiotic to the closed eye for the past two days. Here in Africa I have been counseled to give the hen amoxicillin. I am cautious with such conventional wisdom. Any suggestions? Je vous remerci en advance.

 

[rjohns39]

Here's a fairly decent thread to work through. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/eye-infection-in-chicken.1290004/#post-20924954
@Eggcessive can you stop by and offer your thoughts.

 

[Meg-in-MT]

Hello! Welcome to BYC!!

Wishing you well with your mission. What a great and selfless thing you are doing.

Feel free to check out the links below for some interesting reading. Good luck on your adventures!​

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC, and so happy that you are helping others. I would not use amoxicillin, but try to get Baytril (enrofloxacin,) oxytetracyline, tylosin, or a similar antibiotic that treats mycoplasma. When eyes have been infected and swollen for some time there may be a lot of solid pus around and behind the eye. If it is from a sinus infection, it may extend down into the roof of the beak.

You should try to squeeze out and clean out as much as you can get, and that may take one or severalmattempts over a few days. Then rinse the eye with saline—9 grams of salt in 1 liter of water, boiled to sterilze it, and cooled. Rinse the eye twice a day, and if you have antibiotic ointment or drops, apply them twice daily as well.

Here are 2 quite graphic videos on how to squeeze pus out from behind an eye:

 

[DongusEddy]

Thank you for a very comprehensive treatment plan. I am just beginning to appreciate how much I will need to learn in caring for our flock. I hope to post good news. Thank you again.

 

[drumstick diva]

Eggcessive