Please help Silkie not doing ok

[kltrett175]

Been in house for last couple of days due to wisdom teeth removal and brother was to take care of my chickens . He doesn't check them very well . I went out a little while ago and one of her eyes were swollen and she had it shut but she can open it . Is there anything I can do?

 

[ChickenLover172]

Research what this could be. It might be a symptom of a disease. Try to keep the eye clean until you figure out how to treat her.

 

[Eggcessive]

It could be from a peck wound or sting around the eye, but may be a sign of a respiratory disease such as mycoplasma (MG) or coryza. I would clean the eye with saline, and apply Terramycin ointment from the farm store (or Neosporin, Bacitracin, or Polysporin ointment) twice a day. Look for nasal drainage eye bubbles or foam, a foul odor around the head (coryza), coughing sneezing, or rattles while breathing. If culling her is not a possibility, then antibiotics such as Tylan 50 injections, or oxytetracycline or Gallimycin treatment in the water may be given, but she will remain a carrier. Sulmet and sulfadimethoxine may be used for coryza. Here is some info on these diseases:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/disea...ction-mg-chronic-respiratory-disease-chickens
http://www.extension.org/pages/68127/infectious-coryza-in-poultry#.U8lwwPldVWM
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/82/infectious-coryza

 

[kltrett175]

So it would be best to get rid of her?
Like sell not kill.

 

[Eggcessive]

No, you cannot sell or give her away. She may be infectious, and can infect another flock. If it is a respiratory disease, and not a peck wound or sting, then you should close your flock to any birds leaving your flock. Is she new to you, or has she been exposed to a new bird who may not show symptoms? You can get her tested with a blood test or nasal swab by your vet or local NPIP agent.

 

[kltrett175]

She has been exposed to lots of my birds

 

[Eggcessive]

Then I would probably treat her with antibiotics and close the flock if you think it is a disease. Watch for additional syptoms, or any other birds getting sick in the next weeks.

 

[kltrett175]

Close the flock?

 

[Eggcessive]

This means that if you keep a chicken with a respiratory disease, and treat it rather than cull it, you need to close your flock to any new birds, and do not give away or sell chickens or hatching eggs. Here is another good article to read, and I would go back and read the earlier links:
http://umaine.edu/livestock/poultry/mycoplasma-gallisepticum-faq/

 

[kltrett175]

I have her in her one pen in a seperate area .
By cull you meen kill?