Only one eye shut

[Treefarmer]

Got a 4-5 week old jersey giant.
3 days ago I noticed her eye was shut, when I opened it, it was clear and brown. No swelling. Day 2 it turned red so brought her inside, flushed with saline and she could open it half way.. day 2 evening treated her with vet rx, and vetrycine gel.
Day 3 vet rx and terramycin. Also it’s swollen this am. ?? Drinks poultry cell really well and loves mealworms out of your hand.
Any ideas what to do next?

 

[Eggcessive]

You are doing what I would do with using saline to flush the eye, and applying a dab of Terramycin into the eye. Vet Rx isnot necessary with all of the other things you are using. Vet Rx is strictly herbal oils, and that could be irritation to an eye. When you are cleaning and applying ointment twice a day, examine the eye and if there is any gunk around the eye, it can be expressed.

If she is nit having signs of a respiratory disease (sneeze, cough, congestion, or crackles breathing,) then she may have gotten pecked in the eye or got something in her eye. Look for anything like that.

 

[Treefarmer]

She’s very lethargic and the eye is more swollen today. Vetrx is only used on ears, under her wings and orally.
She only eats mealworms and drinks poultry cell water when I hold her. Otherwise she stays perched on the edge of a basket in a dog crate.
She did have nasal drainage and sneezed once but could’ve been from all the water she drank, lots of water while holding her.
I figured if it was respiratory both eyes would be shut. Way too new to this, first time I’ve had one get injured or possibly sick like this.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Marigold555]

She’s very lethargic and the eye is more swollen today. Vetrx is only used on ears, under her wings and orally.
She only eats mealworms and drinks poultry cell water when I hold her. Otherwise she stays perched on the edge of a basket in a dog crate.
She did have nasal drainage and sneezed once but could’ve been from all the water she drank, lots of water while holding her.
I figured if it was respiratory both eyes would be shut. Way too new to this, first time I’ve had one get injured or possibly sick like this.
Thanks for your help.

Hi there, I had the one-eye-shut issue last week (still dealing with it). Aside from lethargy, my 11 week old chick didn't have any other symptoms though - no respiratory or other issues though. I also had to hand feed her water and food. I found save-a-chick electrolytes and probiotics perked her up within a few hours and her eye opened again and I thought we were fine, then four days later it happened again. I think in my case there might have been some sort of trauma to the eye, maybe it got hit or something, but then she couldn't really see her food and water and didn't eat and drank and so got lethargic. Now I think she is getting edged out by the other chickens when they all go to feed because I see her fall to the back and not assert herself around them, so I've been doing a lot of hand feeding for now. My main advice would be to just keep hand feeding her as much as possible and try to get the electrolytes in her. I'm also having a second source of food available to my girls because I noticed that this particular chicken gets sort of pushed to the back when they are crowd around the feeder. For me they are inside still because their coop isn't done (three more days then they should go outside!) so I think the extra room will help (literally building them a palace). So strange it's only one eye. I wonder if this is something a lot of other people experience, I've only found a few references online. Anyway, hope that helps! Good luck!

 

[Eggcessive]

With most respiratory diseases, such as mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG,) the swelling or eye foam affects just one eye, but can spread to both eyes, especially with coryza. Scrambled egg and moist chicken feed may be taken well if offered. For any swollen eyes or face, or eye foam, I would get Tylan or Tylosin to treat for possible MG. How is your chicken doing now?

She’s very lethargic and the eye is more swollen today. Vetrx is only used on ears, under her wings and orally.
She only eats mealworms and drinks poultry cell water when I hold her. Otherwise she stays perched on the edge of a basket in a dog crate.
She did have nasal drainage and sneezed once but could’ve been from all the water she drank, lots of water while holding her.
I figured if it was respiratory both eyes would be shut. Way too new to this, first time I’ve had one get injured or possibly sick like this.
Thanks for your help.

 

[VWojo]

There is a product that Foy's pet supplies handles, it is called 1 drop 1 eye 1 time. Is is $24 for a one ounce bottle. It is made by Dr. Pigeon. It seems to last forever because you only need one drop. This is a common issue with pigeons and this product works great.