Seeking Help/Advice: Why is my rooster’s eye closed? Could it be due to molting?

[Ahernaa8045]

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for advice about my rooster, who doesn’t seem quite himself. I’m trying to figure out if this is just molting or something more.

He’s eating and drinking normally but feels lighter and seems to have lost some weight. I checked for mites and found none. He’s likely molting—new spiky feathers are coming in (see photos).

He’s resting more than usual, though he still free-ranges and forages daily. He had a bit of sneezing last month but none since, and no other respiratory issues.

My main concern is his eye—he’s been keeping it closed at times (I’ve noticed this first thing today). When open, it looks a bit droopy but not swollen, and there are no bubbles. However, there seems to be a bit of pus or something sticky in the crease. The circled area in the photo shows his upper eyelid.

I’d appreciate any insight on what might be causing this and how best to help him without stressing him out unnecessarily.

 

[azygous]

He's keeping the eye closed because it hurts. It hurts because it may have a foreign body in the eye or it is infected.

Go buy two things. Stop at your pharmacy and pick up some saline eye wash. Next, stop at the feed store and ask for Terramycin antibiotic eye ointment. If you can't find Terramycin locally you can get it off Amazon unless you live somewhere that doesn't have Amazon.

Flush his eye out with the saline eye wash. Use a saturated cotton ball to gently wipe away any pus from around the edge of the eye. You will do this each morning. Then place a dab of Terramycin in the cleaned out eye. You will apply this morning and again in the evening until the eye is healed.

 

[Ahernaa8045]

Thank yo

He's keeping the eye closed because it hurts. It hurts because it may have a foreign body in the eye or it is infected.

Go buy two things. Stop at your pharmacy and pick up some saline eye wash. Next, stop at the feed store and ask for Terramycin antibiotic eye ointment. If you can't find Terramycin locally you can get it off Amazon unless you live somewhere that doesn't have Amazon.

Flush his eye out with the saline eye wash. Use a saturated cotton ball to gently wipe away any pus from around the edge of the eye. You will do this each morning. Then place a dab of Terramycin in the cleaned out eye. You will apply this morning and again in the evening until the eye is healed.

Thank You!!!! I will do that today. Quick question, I was seeing online that an upper respiratory infection could also lead to this. He was sneezing earlier last month, but hasn’t been sneezing since (nor does he have other respiratory symptoms). I do have TiaGard and I was wondering if I should administer that just in cause? However, since he has no other symptoms, and I really just notice his eye being closed, I will go ahead and focus on taking care of his eye with the instructions you’ve mentioned. Thanks!

 

[azygous]

Respiratory infections do affect the eyes, but you would more likely see bubbling, sneezing, coughing, etc. In our treatment suggestions, we go for the most obvious and simple things first. If symptoms worsen, then we step up to the next treatment, which would be Tylosin to fight secondary infection in the respiratory tract.