Someone please read and tell me what to do!

[horsejody]

I think he needs a vet.

 

[007Dawn]

Yes I have been calling around since 9am this morning and I can't find a vet that knows anything about a chicken.

 

[ruth]

Did you read my post? What kind of "artificial eye drops" are you putting in his eye? As I posted, you need to flush the eye with sterile eye wash and not use any form of Visine or "eye drops" - you can use Neosporin, the kind without painkiller, in his eye. My vet recommends it especially if you can't get the antibiotic eye ointment. Any vet should be willing to sell you a tube of eye ointment if the feed stores don't sell it.

 

[threehorses]

Quote:
He's losing weight because, with his eyes closed, he's not eating. Instead of solid foods, try going to more easily dissolved foods. Egg yolks (mashed/boiled), some non-sweetened applesauce (or baby's applesauce), a dab of plain yogurt, and crumbles - mixed together - that makes an awesome little high-energy high-nutrition mash that few birds can refuse.

Remember, birds are very visual about eating. If they can't see, they won't eat. So you have to tempt him. The same with drinking. He'll drink when you bring it to him, but he probably isn't drinking much if you don't. So you'll have to hydrate him, too. take some of that super-mash I mentioned and mix that in the water you give to him (along with the organic acv in it). That'll help get him some fuel and nutrients while hydrating him. I make it just a bit thicker than water but not much.

Did you ask for Terramycin Opthalmic ointment? Did you try feedstores? You might, in the mean time, be able to get sterile eye wash (ingredients are boric acid and sterile water) from the first aid section of a pharmacy. I'd ask the pharmacist for it. It's meant for washing out eyes that might be scratched or injured. Artificial tears (saline solution for eyes) would also work. Or the non-pain-reliever neosporin. And yes - terramycin opthalmic ointment is non-prescription, so your regular vet could sell it to you without a Rx.

Other than obviously treating the eye as we've suggested, the next most pressing thing is going to be keeping him eating and drinking - via you. Do not expect that he'll try it on his own except for those wonderful moments where he's like normal. (By the way - remember that's a cup half full, not empty - he showed a sign of progress.) Giving him easily dissolved foods helps his digestive tract not have to work very hard for the nutrients to absorb into him.

 

[007Dawn]

Ok he is back to one eye open. We are going to try the Neosp. We are giving him very runny oatmeal and he seems to like that a lot.

We are having to kind of push his heand so his beak goes in the oatmeal and then he eats, as soon as he gets up we wait a few seconds and do it again. He seems to be doing well with that.

Yesterday I tried mashed spaggettie, but he woudln't have anything to do with it. So I'm happy he is eating.

I called for the antibotic eye cream and no one had any in stock. I called the only three feed stores around here and two other places that I thought might carry it. Apparently poultry isn't as big as I think it should be around here.

I greatly appreciate all of your help. Thank you.