Swollen Area Around Eye

[NightingaleJen]

Last night while out with the birds, I noticed some odd swelling around the eye of my ten-month old Dominique hen. It is no better today; I did bring her into the garage for an application of Vetericyn, because it looked as though there was a small peck mark or something on the area.

Hubby grabbed a shot of her for you all. There's also a photo of the other side of her face, which is fine thus far.

(My Sugar is such a pretty girl!)

Other than the puffiness and being hot (it's 90 today—don't worry, there's plenty of water, cooling trays to stand in, shade, dirtbaths, a fan, etc)—she is acting just fine. Good appetite, comes to the gate when I peek in or bring more ice blocks.

Any thoughts or suggestions? Should I grab some Tylan and begin injections? Should Sugar be isolated (which means the garage, in this heat, so she'll be alone)?

 

[Eggcessive]

Being pecked or stung around the eye could definitely cause swelling around an eye. Certain respiratory diseases may also cause this sort of swelling, but eventually there should be a few more symptoms. Those would include sneeze or cough, nasal drainage, bubbles or foam in an eye, gasping, or noisy breathing (rales or wheezing.) Tylan or tylosin can treat MG (mycoplasma) symptoms, but MG is a chronic disease for life. Have you ever dealt with a respiratory infection before? Hopefully she was stung or had a hard peck. Let us know how she is feeling later. I would make sure that she is drinking well, and can see to het around.

 

[NightingaleJen]

Being pecked or stung around the eye could definitely cause swelling around an eye. Certain respiratory diseases may also cause this sort of swelling, but eventually there should be a few more symptoms. Those would include sneeze or cough, nasal drainage, bubbles or foam in an eye, gasping, or noisy breathing (rales or wheezing.) Tylan or tylosin can treat MG (mycoplasma) symptoms, but MG is a chronic disease for life. Have you ever dealt with a respiratory infection before? Hopefully she was stung or had a hard peck. Let us know how she is feeling later. I would make sure that she is drinking well, and can see to het around.

Thanks for responding. There seems to be wetness around her actual eye, but it's completely clear—like tears. Her breathing is fine other than immediately after I brought her into the garage bath and she freaked out entirely (she'd never been in there before); she was breathing pretty heavily, but she'd been flapping her wings pretty madly. After a few moments her breathing was perfect again and after getting the Vetericyn, she tried scratching for goodies on my apron.

She is also drinking very well; right after I returned her to the run she ran over to a waterer for a drink, and when I checked on them a few moments ago, she charged to the gate (in this heat, you silly girls...!), then wandered over to get another drink.

This would be my first chicken respiratory issue, this is our first flock. I raised small parrots as a girl, so I know how touchy a bird's respiratory system can be!

She could also have been stung; we live in the woods, for all intents and purposes. All kinds of stinging/thorny things.

Thanks again, I will definitely be watching her and the others closely.

 

[Anime2lover]

Thanks for responding. There seems to be wetness around her actual eye, but it's completely clear—like tears. Her breathing is fine other than immediately after I brought her into the garage bath and she freaked out entirely (she'd never been in there before); she was breathing pretty heavily, but she'd been flapping her wings pretty madly. After a few moments her breathing was perfect again and after getting the Vetericyn, she tried scratching for goodies on my apron.

She is also drinking very well; right after I returned her to the run she ran over to a waterer for a drink, and when I checked on them a few moments ago, she charged to the gate (in this heat, you silly girls...!), then wandered over to get another drink.

This would be my first chicken respiratory issue, this is our first flock. I raised small parrots as a girl, so I know how touchy a bird's respiratory system can be!

She could also have been stung; we live in the woods, for all intents and purposes. All kinds of stinging/thorny things.

Thanks again, I will definitely be watching her and the others closely.

If there are any signs of respiratory symptoms there are oral medications you can give them or put in their water. We had our whole flock get puffy eye and treated them using fishzole (metrazole for fish) and eye cream daily.

 

[NightingaleJen]

The skin around Sugar's eye isn't really any better. Dabbed more Vetericyn on it early this AM. She is still eager to eat, and raced to the mash dish when I put it down.

 

[NightingaleJen]

Sugar is doing much better this evening! Dabbed more Vetericyn and can actually see the peck/sting mark again (at least I'm not gaslighting myself into thinking I saw it a couple of nights ago, ha). Dabbed a drop of VetRX beneath her wings just in case, but she seems to be on the mend. Her behaviour never did change, and she still eagerly charged out to free range on the intervening evenings. That in and of itself was reassuring.

 

[Lady Clucks-a-Lot]

She might be stung. It doesn't really look like injury made by other chickens, since those would probably make it bleed and wouldn't really puff up.

 

[Eggcessive]

Glad that she is doing better. Vetericyn eye ointment or something like Terramycin eye ointment could help. Hopefully, she will be better in a few days.