Went to get my pullets(41/2-5mo old) fresh water and saw this:

[SebrightMix]

I had a silkie baby hatch yesterday and didn’t have an eye or wasn’t open and had fuz on it instead.

 

[Dos Locos Polackos Acres]

I would check her in the morning and try to get the eye opened. Then check her breathing, odor, etc. You can get saline eye drops from a pharmacy, and terramycin eye ointment from some feed stores (ask a clerk since it is locked up. ) Plain Neosporin or Triple Antibiotic Ointment can be used if you cannot get Terramycin. A vet would be good if you can areange that. If her eye is not affected by a tumor, then I would suspect there is pus around the eye and sinus, and it would need to be removed.

Ok, I'll try to open with a warm cloth and getting terramycin from the feed store. Gotta get hay anyway. Are there any oral antibiotics or health supplements I can put in their water to boost their immunities since we are getting so cold at night? We have a red light in their coop and 3 or 4 are finally going up there to stay warm. But I am concerned since they're not really that old.

 

[Dos Locos Polackos Acres]

Can you tell us if she has any other symptoms besides the swollen eyelid? How does she smell around her beak and face? Can you put a wet cloth on her eye and soften the crust, then open it to look for any pus or freign body (feather, seed pod, dirt?) Her beak is open, so is she gasping or having any noisy breathing, wheezing, sneezing, etc? Is there nasal drainage?

It looks like she has conjunctivitis (pinkeye) which sometimes is from a peck wound or something caught in the eye, but also could be from a respiratory sinus disease such as MG or coryza. E.coli or other bacteria can also cause this. Please answer some of the questions. Do you have access to a vet or antibiotics?

If it is caused by a respiratory disease, antibiotics may treat symptoms, but they have it in their bodies for life. The other chickens may also be carriers.

Also, I don't think there's a smell around her beak, etc. And it doesn't appear to have any pus collecting around the eye, beak or nostril area. No wheezing or trouble breathing, etc. She's just scared cuz hubby is holding her. I'm thinking she got something in there or was pecked. But just wanted to be sure it wasn't something more serious. We've already lost one baby. I don't want to lose another.

 

[Dos Locos Polackos Acres]

I had a silkie baby hatch yesterday and didn’t have an eye or wasn’t open and had fuz on it instead.

I wanted to be sure it would be ok for me to open her eye after applying a warm cloth to see if she got something in it or was pecked. So I'll try in the morning.

 

[Dos Locos Polackos Acres]

Hard to tell from a photo...so is her other eye like this or is it ok?
Is she behaving normally?
In that photo she looks like she's not well & gasping...or is it just because you are trying to hold her still for a photo and she doesn't like being held?
Just trying to figure out is the swelling of one eye the only issue. If she seems normal other than that, she may have just gotten pecked in the eye.
When that happened to one of mine I separated him & got eye ointment at Walgreens & put that in, he was fine after 2 days in a large cage, his own food & water with no one pecking at his already sore eye.

If the bird's eye was fine just earlier then it may be just a pecking incident...Hopefully so

No, her other eye is not affected. She's eating and drinking normal for her. Running around with everyone else, etc. It just seems to be her one eye. So tomorrow I'll try to get some terramycin at the feed store and open her eye after applying a warm cloth and apply the ointment. I'll also try to separate her from everyone else for a couple of days and see how she does.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would try and press around her eyelid to see if any pus comes out. Here is a video that may help:

 

[Dos Locos Polackos Acres]

I would try and press around her eyelid to see if any pus comes out. Here is a video that may help:

Thank you for posting that! I'll definitely give it a try tomorrow.

 

[TheMother]

I would try and press around her eyelid to see if any pus comes out. Here is a video that may help:

I know I know. The educational purpose of that video and all that but man... I would like to think I'd have it in me to do that if I had to.

 

[Dos Locos Polackos Acres]

I know I know. The educational purpose of that video and all that but man... I would like to think I'd have it in me to do that if I had to.

Right! But ya know, desperate times and all that. I'm just hoping that I've got it in me and it doesn't traumatize her to much.

 

[Liz Birdlover]

Hey how does her eye look this morning? Better I hope?