Rooster with Bad Eye

[ELoise]

Hello. Joined primarily for help with this, though I must comment, nice forum, I will be sticking around!

Well, I have a Pekin bantam rooster, a few years old, with a bad eye. It looks like it could be conjunctivitis, as the eye is kind of stuck together. When I originally saw it last night though (he got it sometime yesterday), he COULD open it but preferred to keep it closed. I can't see any damage though, but it could be possible he got into a squabble with another rooster (I have a few Pekin roosters that are housed together. I know this isn't advisable, but they are brothers who are not yet a year old and father and get on fine accept for the rare little squabble; they are generally even friendly with each other, even banding together to look after one of their chicks after the inexperienced mother stopped caring for them! I am confident that they are fine together with no more than the occasional 15 second squabble, never come out hurt). So, what should I do with his eye? He's friendly and I have no problem handling him; should I just try rinsing his eye in warm salty water? Any advice?

Thank you!

 

[Judy]

Clean it with a little saline and apply an antibiotic ophthalmic ointment which your feed store or vet should sell.

You can make your own saline or buy it at the drug store in the eye meds section. "Salty water" will be too salty, most likely, unless you follow this recipe:

http://healthfieldmedicare.suite101.com/article.cfm/normal_saline_for_wound_care

 

[ELoise]

Thanks! His eye is actually seeming to improve itself, though it had been going downhill until today. I appreciate your help!