Please Help! Blind Chicken?

[SinseaChicken]

Today a neighbors dog got loose and tried to eat my chickens. It broke into the run and my three hens ran into their coop. The dog couldn't fit through the door so just stuck her head through. A friend tackled the dog while I brought all of the chickens into my house. We found the dogs owner and when I got back I found out that one of the chickens wasn't standing up or walking around. I looked closer and saw that her eyes were swollen closed. I don't know if the dog hurt her or if she was being bullied by the other chickens or if she's sick. I didn't notice if she was like this before the dog came. I'm really worried about her. Please help!

 

[Shadrach]

You should clean around the eye very carefully with plain water. Boiled and then allowed to cool would be best if you don’t have ph neutral water for say an eye bath.
A chicken has three eyelids. The lower lid can be moved with gentle pressure to see if it’s mobile. You need a touch like a midwife.
The upper eyelid can also be tested for movement with gentle pressure.
Unfortunately the third eyelid moves across the eye from side to side and its transparent. This is probably the most important eyelid. This cleans the eye of debris.
If the two main eyelids are mobile then a vet visit is best.
You probably can get suitable eye drops but I have no idea what make to recommend for you. Maybe someone else can help with this.
Chickens keep their eyes closed when in shock ime. You need to look at the eye itself in order to check for damage.

 

[MissChick@dee]

In the first picture I see pus coming out of the eye which leads me to believe it not something that just happened. You could flush the eye with saline solution-you can get it where the sell contact supplies. It’s swollen you might want to give her baytril you can find that with the allergy medication. The second picture I see weeping. It looks like a chronic infection. Does she wheeze when she breathes?
Any coughing?

 

[SinseaChicken]

She's been wheezing a little bit. What does this mean? What should I do?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would clean the eyes with saline or water as Shadrach posted. Then use some Terramycin eye ointment twice a day from your feed store. Plain Neosporin is okay in a pinch. She may have a respiratory disease or has been beat up causing the eye swelling and nasal drainage. Does she smell bad? If it is respiratory in nature, she may need an antibiotic such as Tylan 50 injectable given orally.

 

[OldEnglishGameBantam33]

aww, poor thing. Sorry, I can't help. I will be crossing my fingers!

 

[MissChick@dee]

Sinseachicken was this the only chicken injured?

 

[MissChick@dee]

@SinseaChicken. I asked if she was the only hen injured because this is my thinking.
Perhaps the dog sticking it head in the door made you take notice of your chickens.
I think she’s had this problem for awhile. I don’t know if you even have availablity to get Tylan 50 let alone inject her.
I go with common easy to find items (drug store or pharmacy) because a lot of people don’t stock first aid items and in a panic simple is sometimes better for those folks.
If your not used to treating your birds. Get someone to help hold her. Cleaning the eyes could be as easy as poring the fluids over the eye and let it flush out. I like to use a big soft ball of gauze to dab it. Be gentle. Repeat as needed until you get it clean.
Baytril I keep on hand mostly for my dogs. Here again easy to find. I get the 25 milligrams (lowest dose they make). It would be great if you could weight your hen but if not give her 1/2 tab up to twice a day. Put it in a grape or a kernel of canned corn or wrapped in bread. What ever she likes. This won’t help with the infection but it will help dry out her sinus and help with swelling. And make her rest (makes them a bit sleepy for awhile)
It’d be great if you could bring her in or at least in a crate or her own separate area of the coop. Even a box.
I don’t know what your comfort level is in handling your chickens. I don’t know what you have on hand. Best wishes

 

[OldEnglishGameBantam33]

@aart

 

[Missythechickenlady]

I did you vet rx before and it seemed to work my silkies eye was swollen and a bit of wheezing you can get it at ts and its like 10$ you mix with water an its almost like Vicks. You can use it in the mouth though to the nose. Also I bought vetericyn plus and it worked great for about 3 days we treated. She had her eyes shut and I opened an looked at the eye nothing damaged so I tried to keep a warm and cold compress on as long as possible. I also used Epsom salt and the vet rx and it work within 3 days I had her back with her flock. I did pull her in when this happened so if you can get her set up in a bin with water and maybe some electrolytes and probitotic they have the save a chick packets very inexpensive. and apple cider viger in her water. Also if you can I gave my hen scrambled eggs for protein an I mixed some cinnamon and basil spices in with the eggs because it is supposed to be good for respiratory things. Hope this helps and all goes well.

Missy

• Also, cinnamon is commonly used to help treat nasal congestion, coughing, infections, and the common cold.