Pullet with Eye Injury

[GypsyMama13]

Hello everyone! While lurking in the shadows and gaining a lot of knowledge from the forums here, I have a question of my own and have become a member now. Howdy from Texas!

We have 3 pullets and a couple of duckling, roughly a month old, that we've been raising in the coop. We built a temporary run out of an old hog pen for them to practice free ranging during the day before we let them out with the others. (Only have one roo and two hens left after a disappointing predator run).

Our ranchmate put the babies in the run yesterday morning for the day and left town, knowing that we would be coming back in the afternoon. We discovered one of the pullets on the outside of the run and injured. Not sure how, but upon further inspection, my best guess is that she wasn't attacked by any of the others, but likely tore herself up frantically trying to get back into the run with her buddies. Her face is a mess and it looks like she might have caught one of her eyes on the chicken wire. The eye, and even the pullet, may not make it. In addition, there was tissue coming out of her mouth that had to be removed. I can find no other injuries.

In reading here, I saw suggestions of how to treat a wound...HP, iodine, saline and neosporin. Since the biggest wound is literally her eyeball, I am not comfortable putting either iodine, neosporin or peroxide there. I have rinsed her thoroughly with saline and removed damaged skin and feathers. I tried putting saline in her mouth, but she started to drink it, so I quit. She is now resting in a box near my desk, but is not terribly responsive, won't drink or eat. I

Any suggestions? The vets out here in the country literally laugh at you if you bring a chicken in. We were set to pick up another dozen pullets today, but will be keeping her in the house. Thanks for any help you might be able to give me. Poor thing...

 

[jennyf]

Can you try to pick up Terramycin eye ointment from the vet? May also be able to get from farm store.

 

[GypsyMama13]

Thank you Jenny. I have called the farm store and am going to pick some up right now.

Any suggestions for her mouth? I have boiled a medicine dropper to try to give her some water and I'm boiling an egg and making oatmeal with honey to try to get her to eat (per things I've read on here.)

 

[jennyf]

I'm pretty new to this and don't have any mouth suggestions unfortunately. The Terramycin eye ointment is on the list of items I need to start picking up for my chicken first aid kit! Did she eat anything?

 

[GypsyMama13]

Good news! I'm pretty sure that she's going make it! Her eye may not work well, but it's still there. I could have sworn she was looking at me with it this morning though.

I got some water and a tiny bit of watered down yogurt into her last night. Tried some watery egg yolk, but she wasn't going for it. We were up most of the night.
I took her home in a shoe box and propped the lid open just a bit when I went to sleep. When I opened the box this morning, she popped up like a little Jack-in-the-box. Yay! Then promptly hopped out of the box and pooped on the couch. LOL

Gave her more yogurt, then some crumbles, which she is happily munching at the moment. Been rinsing and treating her eye. The mouth thing seems to have sorted itself out. When we passed the coop on our way to the office (where the coop and the food is), she perked up and wanted to go back with her friends. When we got inside, however, she settled back in her box with her crumbles and water and I think she needs a little more time before I put her in the coop. She'll let me know when she's ready.

Then I will just continue flushing and treating her eye a couple/few times a day and determine if she needs to be put inside at night.

Thanks again for the Terramycin suggestion. It might have saved her life, that little bit of antibiotic in her system.

Go Pippi Go! (She just got named through this...)

Thanks!

 

[jennyf]

Great! So glad to hear that!!