Swollen eye. No other sypmtoms

[Coolbreeze89]

I just found this chick with a swollen eye. 15 days old. No other symptoms. All the other chicks are acting fine, except I found a dead chick this morning. No swollen eyes, no signs of anything. Poops are normal in the brooder. The chicks are in a brooder in my basement. No contact with other animals, and I wash my hands before cleaning/handling their areas or them. Thoughts? I read a few threads about Coryza or mycobacterium, but no other symptoms. Cull to reduce risk to hatch-mates?

Of course, I found this when I let them have a little sunny outside time (warm afternoon in texas). They were kept in a pen (older chickens were still in their distant run). Do I need to keep the adults away from this area of my yard now?

I just don’t understand where they’d get an infection. No new birds on property in 6-7 months and all adults are healthy.

Advice appreciated. I’m panicking that they’re all going to die, or that they’re going to get my adult birds sick (or else I have to cull all the chicks). ‍

 

[Eggcessive]

What is the material on the lower eyelid? Is is crust or debris, and can you clean it off? Do you see any bubbles in the eye? Many backyard flocks may have mycoplasma (MG) or be carriers, so it could be the chicks may have been exposed to it. Wild birds can be carriers. Other possible symptoms include gasping, acting sleepy, and not drinking. Tylan 50 injectable can be used orally in chicks to treat MG symptoms, at a dosage of 0.25 ml (1/4 ml) 3 times daily for 5 days. You will need 3 cc syringes and 18 or 20 gauge needles which are removed after drawing up the medicine before giving it orally. Try to get the chick drinking by holding water up to the beak. Here is some reading about MG:
http://extension.umd.edu/sites/exte... Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Infecti....pdf

 

[Coolbreeze89]

Thank you.

No, no bubbles. It has a little “wet sleep” in the eye. Not pus, but wetter than just crust. It still seems to be acting fine (though unhappy about being isolated).

So if it is MG, does every chick need to be treated or only symptomatic ones?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would only treat chicks who are showing symptoms. You might want to get her tested with a swab for a PCR test for poultry mycoplasma, which might be available by your state poultry lab. This link shows a lab that performs it:
https://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/Mycoplasma.htm

 

[Slike]

In that photo it distinctly appears to have some kind of solid debris protruding up from under the lower eyelid.

Also, does the chick have scissor beak?

 

[Coolbreeze89]

In that photo it distinctly appears to have some kind of solid debris protruding up from under the lower eyelid.

Also, does the chick have scissor beak?

I flushed the eye with saline. Couldn’t dislodge any debris.

Upon close exam, it does have mild scissor beak (nice catch!). I’ll keep an eye on that progressing if the eye gets better.

 

[Slike]

Gotcha. Hoping the eye will mend and that the scissor beak doesn't worsen. Poor little guy.

 

[Eggcessive]

Chicks with scissors beak deformities can worsen with age. It can help to feed them out of a deep bowl, and wetting the food can help as well. Placing a large rock to scrape the beak on may help in the future. Here is a good link on dealing with this:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/scissor-beak-aka-crossed-beak-what-it/

 

[Coolbreeze89]

Update: the chick is still active, eating and drinking. No congestion, no bad smell. I started antibiotic eye drops this morning. I’m keeping him isolated (so glad I have a spare heat lamp and food/water setup!). He seems so happy o see me when I check on him and handle him...I think he’s lonely... All other chicks are great. No eye swelling, and acting fine. Fingers crossed!

 

[Eggcessive]

I would place him back with the other chicks if you can. If they pick on him, you could separate with a little netting or fence in the brooder. But they have all probably been exposed at the same time, so I cannot see a reason to separate him unless he is picked on. They eat better when together, and start forming a pecking order. Glad he is looking better.