swollen eye

[KierBri]

ok, this would of course be my daughters favorite trained/pet chicken. this morning she noticed the corner of her right eye is a little puffy and swollen. scratches at it a little.
she's 8 1/2 weeks old, eating/drinking/pooing normal. ideas?
thanks

 

[miss_thenorth]

could she have scraped it on something, causing some irritation? Any sneezing etc?

 

[KierBri]

she sneezes, but no more then she always has. she's in a new horse stall w/shavings. 1 feeder/1 waterer and 22 other chicks.

 

[KellyGwen]

2 of my 5 week old cockerels also have, what I've been calling, "black eyes" (they've all been sparring A LOT). My little Lakenvelder has one eye that is red around the edges and my EE cockerel had one red eye that he kept scratching at and now it's shut - this morning I noticed that his OTHER eye is now red!! There is no drainage or conjunctivitis that I can see... What can I do for them? I don't think they use e-collars on chickens! Tiny oven mitts for his feet perhaps?

They are both eating and drinking. They are mixed with the other chickens still, I haven't isolated them since that would mean a LOT of rearranging and building right now. The EE looked worse off this morning since one of his eyes is shut and the other is puffy... But the Lakenvelder looks a little better (he's a faster runner!!). These are the only 2 chicks with this problem - and there are about 50 of them...

So I don't think it's a contagen... but I might be wrong?? I really think it's a pecking order thing... But I don't want a black eye to "balloon" into an infection now that the area has been.. um... compromised?

What should I do? Should I get some ophthalmic ointment? Is eurythromycin (sp?) safe for chickens? Do they have oph. ointment at the feed store you think? I don't know if I have any at my house...

(P.S. Sorry to hijack! It sounds like we're having similar issues though!)

 

[needmorechickens!]

They have Terramycin ointment for eyes at Trac. Supply.
That would probably be your best bet.
~Rebecca

 

[KellyGwen]

I just looked it up online and they say erythromycin is safe for chickens... I used to work for an eye doctor and still have friends in the office... I just emailed my buddy and she is going to send me a few tubes. Hopefully she does it soon! I will keep an eye out for some today while I'm out

There may be a TSC near where I'm headed this afternoon...

 

[KierBri]

chipmunks eye is still swollen today but not red anymore.
i have enough problems putting eye oinment in a horses eye let alone a chicken!!