Watery, Irritated eyes?

[Chickadeeee]

A few days ago 15 chicks arrived in the mail, and they're happily peeping away in their sanitary, roomy box. Clean water and food have been supplied, and I've been changing out the the bottom padding (pine shavings and straw) every day.
I'm worried about two of the chicks, though. When they arrived, they both (and they alone) had a bit of "pasty butt", which I took care of immediately, and doesn't seem to still be a problem. BUT on close inspection, Day 2, I noticed that those two each had one eye shut. In turn, I pulled them out and gently applied a warm washcloth to the shut eye. I noticed that the tiniest piece of chick-starter was in the corner of the closed eyes, which I gently removed with sterilized tweezers. So it's possible the chick-starter had aggravated the said eyes. But, even today the eyes are watery and a little swollen. The stickiness of the watering eye also attracts grain, which I then have to remove. Needles to say, I performed the warm-washcloth treatment again today, but I'm still concerned... help!
Could it be the breed? I have three different breeds--Rhode Island Red, Red Star ("Golden Buff"), and Salmon Faverolles, and 5 birds of each breed. The Faverolles are the ones with the irritated eyes, and the other 3 unaffected Faverolles are smaller than the other 2 breeds. Maybe this breed has a slightly weaker immune system?
I've researched Coccidiosis and Marek's disease extensively, and the symtoms don't match up; They're breathing just fine, and their droppings all look healthy. The two watery-eyed chicks are otherwise healthy; eating and drinking well, active and alert like the others. Am I worrying over nothing? Maybe their eyes are irritated? Maybe they have a little chicken-cold, which also came with the pasty butt?

Help!!

 

[Izzymoon]

take a q-tip and gently put neosporin on the irrated eye. Should clear up in a few days. Don't put a lot just enough to cover you can use a piece of toliet paper whichever is easier, just has to be soft. Kleenex is ok just not the one with lotion

 

[Chickadeeee]

Thank you so much for the advice! Neosporin has been applied to the effected eyes...I have faith that it'll work! :}

 

[EricaD]

How interesting! One of my baby Salmon Favs also has a problem with one eye. It's swollen and has been goopy, so I've done warm wet compresses with just a few drops of tea tree oil in the water. It has improved and now just looks irritated, but is no longer oozing or sealing shut. She's also picking at some feathers on her back. She's one raggedy looking babe.

I've spent lots of time observing and the other chicks aren't bothering her, and she has no sign of any kind of mites or anything.

The other 2 Salmon Fav babies are completely perfect.

Maybe your chick and my chick came from the same batch, lol (I bought mine at the local feed store, and they order from one of the primary hatcheries).

I'm hoping she makes a recovery. She has plenty of energy and appetite and is otherwise behaving normally. When her bad eye was shut, she had trouble walking straight, but once I opened it up for her she was back to normal, so I know she has vision in that eye.

Should I switch to neosporin? Won't that hurt if it gets into her eye?

 

[Chickadeeee]

Really?! That's exactly what's happened to my two chicks...same back-picking too! The others chicks don't seem to be pecking her aggressively, and there's no blood, just a little bareness. I got my birds from the My Pet Chicken hatcheries, so it's possible! You know, I may try that tea-tree thing. I've been using a three-antibiotic gel (basically the same thing as neosporin), and I've noticed that the eyes look a little clearer, though there's still some crusties on the feather-fluff around the affected eyes. I've read multiple articles and threads that said neosporin wouldn't hurt the eye, but I generally like to avoid using antibiotics, and go for the more natural-medicine rout. At the moment I'm applying the gel and a Plantain (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantago) tea once a day each. A friend with experience in natropathic animal medicines told me that plantain would help; It is known for being anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial.
I'm hoping the chicks will be okay...I have to admit, I'm a little worried. Even though they're lively, they seem a bit smaller and frailer than the other chicks. Fingers crossed that they make it!

 

[Izzymoon]

yes, use the neosporin. Just a thin bit over the eye, they tend to scratch alot when little and aren't old enough to know better. The back theng is rubbing there eyes on their backs. Mine used to peep really loud when she scratched her eye. Yo can also go and get some ointment for sty's at the pharmacy, but it has about the same effect