Strange Eye 'Cyst' in my hens eye. What is it???**PICS**

[michelle43]

Hi Everyone- My hen is a barred rock, she's 9 months old and I just noticed tonight that she has a strange white 'cyst' in her eye. Other than that, she eats, drinks, and acts very normal. I've been out of town for a week, so this is the first that I noticed it. Does anyone know what it is?

Bad Eye....

Good Eye...

Sorry the pictures are upside down....weird. It's never done that before.

 

[michelle43]

any ideas anyone???

 

[chickengrl]

OK, no expert myself, but looked this up in my book The Chicken Health Handbook. It looks like an eye worm. More common in the South, and is described as a small white worm that lodges in a chickens eye. They can get them from eating cockroaches.

The book recommends a vet anesthetize the eye and apply cresol solution. (dont know what that is), or it says Ivermectin 3 drops in the eye twice a day until gone. I am not totally sure that is what it is since I have never seen it myself, but it sure sounds similiar. Good luck!

 

[chickengrl]

hmmm, you are in Vermont? Not exactly southern, not even southernish. It does look like a worm though. Hopefully someone with more experience will speak up. Sorry.

 

[michelle43]

Wow...a worm! Okay, now I'm grossed out!!! I never even considered a worm, and I've never seen a cockroach anywhere on my property. I will do some research and see if I can find 'eye worm' photos. This is disgusting....

 

[kickinchicken]

Do chickens have a third eyelid? Looks like an inflamed third eyelid or cherry eye. Terramycin twice a day for 10 days should help
ETA
According to poultryhub.com, chickens DO have a third eyelid called the nictitating membrane.

 

[michelle43]

When I look at it, it appears to by a swollen third eyelid. I've looked at some older posts and it goes both ways...some people saying worms and some people saying bacterial infection. I'm thinking that it's not worms due to the cold weather and lack of any bugs this time of year at my house or coop. I don't even find spiders or anything in the coop, except a small mouse 5 months ago and the chickens got to it before I did. That was slightly funny...and gross all at the same time

 

[chickengrl]

Yeah, I looked around after googling it and found a you tube video of someone "squishing" it out of the birds eye. Double yucky, but it did seem to get rid of it. Maybe try antibiotic eye drops first and then if no improvement in 3-4 days you might try the ivermectin. The pics I found seem like it could go either way. Good luck with it. Can you keep this updated as you figure it out? Would like to know what you decide. Good luck!

 

[michelle43]

Yes, will do. I need to find a place to buy the eye drops today. Could be hard on a Sunday in rural Vermont, but if that doesn't work, I'll try Jeffers. Any suggestions are appreciated.

 

[LindseyM12]

We have a chicken with these symptoms. Can someone tell me what type of Ivermectin to use? Thanks so much!