Newly hatched chick with bulging eye

[silkhope]

Hatched yesterday (buff orp) and one eye is larger then the other. It is covered by the eyelid but she/he doesn't open it much, if at all.

What could have caused it and what do you think will happen?

Thanks!

 

[silkiechicken]

I'm not sure. But since it is a newly hatched chick, I'd think it would either "grow out of it" or it was a birth defect that they will have to live with. I had a chick born with a "squinty" eye and so one was always larger than the other.

 

[Loving My Peeps]

I just did a search and came across this thread. I recently hatched 12 buff orpington chicks from the incubator. The last one to hatch came out of the shell with 1 bulging eye also. I'd like to bring this tread back to see if anyone has any advise. I may try saline drops, others have mentioned placing warm tea bags on the eye. I'm not sure what caused it or if it will be okay. The chick is about 30 hours old right now.

 

[slackwater]

Ha! I had an orpington hatch with the same thing. It's a splash, though - so no trend with just buffs

Mine is about 6 weeks old at this point, and its eye has clouded over and receded somewhat, but it is obviously blind on that side from earlier damage done to the eye since it just wouldn't close all the way.

Other than that, it is doing okay.

 

[Loving My Peeps]

other than the eye it seems .....okay I guess. It is more lethargic and gets picked on by the others. It eats and drinks very little....

 

[kelar]

I don't know if it's the same thing, but several years ago I had an ameraucana chick hatch with both eyes bulging. It could not see and I had no idea what to do with it. Eventually, one of the eyes ruptured and receded, but the other one still had a bulge and she did ok, even though she was blind. A veterinary student adopted her & they took her to the vet school and removed the eye that was still bulging for pathology. Turned out she had glaucoma - I had no idea chickens ever got glaucoma & I've never seen it since, but probably a good idea to have the eye examined by a vet to see if there is pressure behind the eye causing pain.