Rooster with swollen eye with yellow pus

[Rachel N]

My rooster was fine last night but when we came home this afternoom, his one eye was completely covered with pus and swollen shut. I can see it bulging up is it so swollen. He is eating and walking around find (besides not being able to see). I am also worried because when I closed them up tonight one of my young hens was sitting in a box breathing with her mouth open and her one eye was closed and looks like it's going to crust over too what could this be? How does this happen so fast? And what should I do???

 

[Rachel N]

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[AshlyMommaWard]

Sounds like an intense respiratory infection. Do their noses look bubbly, breaking sound rattled?
Had this happen to mine once. Eye problems in a couple. Treated 2X daily with liquid Tylan from farm store. Sold for cattle. Dosage depends on size of bird, can be given intramuscular or orally, orally takes longer to work but is easier for the novice although you must be careful not to aspirate the bird (shoot liquid into lungs). Many threads here detailing treatment for upper respiratory infection in chickens.

 

[Rachel N]

I might have to pick that up for my other hens. We killed the rooster this morning. Both his eyes were sealed shut and bulging. He looked in so much pain it just all happened so fast! Now some of my younger hens are sneezing and coughing/honking this is so hard to watch! I got vetrx to try as well...and had some antibiotics on hand that j out in their water. It's just so hard to get anything in their mouth!

 

[Rachel N]

How many days did you give them the Tylan?

 

[AshlyMommaWard]

I did Tylan 2X daily, orally for 11 days. I had two birds who each had an eye swollen as bad as yours, I'd probably have made the same decision had any of mine had both eyes. The birds did both make a full recovery and the eye was fine in there and normal afterwards. Hold them in your lap facing away from you, use your legs to help hold their wings/bodies still. Use your dominant hand to hold syringe and other hand to reach under the head and grab the wattles of the bird (this is easiest, with birds without wattles use thumb nail to pry open beak. Put the syringe in far enough and shoot it down. They will sneak their head if you let them lose and splatter your face and loose medicine, so try to hold them still until you're sure they've swallowed.

 

[Rachel N]

Thank you! I will be trying this today!!