Swollen Eye

[A.M. Eggs]

Woke up this morning and found one of my hens acting lethargic. Upon further inspection I found her eye completely swollen, oozing and with bubbles. Checked for other problems and found some nasal discharge. Currently suspecting respiratory illness or sinus infection. Current plan of action is separation and terramicin application. What I need to know is if there is anything else I should add for medications like an antibiotic. What do you guys think?

Note: a few other hens have had bubbly eyes recently but it was nothing this serious, also added one lone hen to flock more than a month ago.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would use a warm wet wash cloth as a compress to the eye and try to get the gunk and crust cleaned off. Saline eye wash can be used to flush the eye twice a day, followed by applying Terramycin eye ointment into the eye (just a small dab.) I would get some Tylosin powder for the water from Jedds, or try to get Tylan 50 injectable plus syringes and needles, from a fed store to give Tylan orally. It could be mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG,) a common chronic respiratory disease. It remains in the flock until all birds are gone, and they will all be carriers, and it can be passed in the egg.
https://jedds.com/products/tylosin-powder

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/elanco-tylan-50-injection-100-ml

 

[A.M. Eggs]

There is Tylan 50 injectable and from what you said it can be orally given? Also what are thoughts on microcyn or vetericyn+? Having trouble finding the terramicin.

 

[Eggcessive]

Vetericyn eye gel is okay to use, and I have used a clean tube of plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment in the chicken’s eye before in a pinch.

Tylan 50 injectable in chickens is better used orally, so it doesn’t cause damage of muscle at the injection site. Dosage is 1/4 ml (0.25 ml) per pound given 3 times a day for 5 days to birds with symptoms.

 

[A.M. Eggs]

Opened her mouth to give oral meds and found white patches on the roof. This is normally a sign of pox, or is it just another symptom?

 

[Eggcessive]

You said in your other thread that there was also a bad odor from the beak. Cannyou get a picture of the chicken’s eye cleaned up and one of the inside of the beak and throat? Do you see any yellow plaques besides white spots in the beak? Is there any fowl pox on the comb, wattles, or head? The gunky eye could be due to pox, but hard to tell in your picture. Are mosquitoes still out now in N. TX?

A bad odor in the beak can be due to canker, or coryza. I have never treated wet fowl pox, but I don’t think there is a bad odor, although the yellow plaques of wet pox and canker can look similar.

Have you treated this chicken earlier with antibiotics? Antibiotic overuse and treatment can lead to a yeast or candida infection in the beak, which may appear like canker and wet pox, but also without an odor.