Swollen Eye in Hen

[dusk987]

Hi. One of my hens has a swollen eye. It is completely swollen shut. This is really gross, but I can't tell if the eyeball got poked or pecked out or if its still in there. She is very lethargic and unsteady on her feet. I took her out of the coop and put her in a box in the garage. I was able to get her to drink some water. What should I do for my poor girl? Should I get some anibiotic eye ointment tomorrow? If she has lost the eye is there any chance of her 1) surviving, 2) going back to the rest of the flock? I'll try to get a picture of the eye, but she was sleeping when I left her and I hate to wake her up.

Thanks for any suggestions.

Dawn

 

[katrinag]

A picture would help. But I know you do not want to wake her.
I would start antibiotics ASAP. Keep her warm and provide loving support.

 

[kycklingar!]

Keep her separate from the others, well-hydrated, and fed. Normal antibiotic eye ointment for humans works well - slather it on, and if the infection doesn't spread, she'll eventually be able to join the others even if the eye has been permanently damaged.

 

[dusk987]

This is a pic of her eye this morning. She seems a little less "woobbly" this morning

 

[agirly4chicks]

I noticed last night that my week old chicks eye that has just been shut and never open that I have noticed was swollen. You can only tell by looking at her from the front. Someone suggested in another post to but drops of warm water on it but I did and only a small amount of yellow puss came out it never opened up. I wonder if she never formed a eye? Has that ever happened? I really want her to have both eyes as I watch her I can tell she is getting bumped into alot because she can't see what is going on on the right side of her body.

My Little Baby! I am naming her Hellen after Hellen Keller because I know that she will be strong and do good at everything.

 

[agirly4chicks]

Please read and help our Chickens

Please with a cherry on top!

 

[chantecler]

Bump-


I would try gently opening up the eye after moistening it up with warm saline. Then you can flush it a bit with warm saline and aply an eye ointment antibiotic-like the polysporin eye ointment.

They will do fine with just one eye, but if you can catch what ever it is early and treat then you may be able to save the eye.

Also for the chick, the other chicks are going to pick at the eye so you may have to seperate.
I would stronly recommend you take her to the vet.

Good luck.

 

[agirly4chicks]

Quote:
You are saying I should take my little one to the vet and also try to open it up?


BTW thank you for responding

 

[TimeMist]

Quote:
You are saying I should take my little one to the vet and also try to open it up?


BTW thank you for responding

I think this person was talking to the original poster.

 

[MoodyChicken]

If she has no other outward symptoms other than swollen eye and unbalanced, I would say it's a head injury. Treat the eye with opthalmic ointment and isolate her. Keep her warm and let her eat whatever she will eat.

If you notice any other symptoms, it may be a respiratory disease.

On another note, regarding the chick, some birds just like to keep an eye shut. I've had three birds that automatically close their right eyes when you pick them up. No idea why, but they've done it since they were babies and the other eye stays open. I've actually been using it to track which of my birds are related to my original hen that did it. Her babies did it, and a few of her grandchildren did it, and so forth.