What's wrong with this chick's eye?

[The Chickadoodles]

I noticed one of my hen's chicks got fat eyelids and keeps on trying to scratch it and it looked like its in pain, now there's brown stuff covering the eye and due to lockdown, we cant bring it to vets and even if its over, there arent much poultry vets here. What can I do?

 

[Little Chicken Girl]

Watching this thread. Poor baby! Hope you get some answers.

 

[Chicken Cryptid]

I have no idea what could have caused this, have you tried a wet paper towel to get the gunk off? Or is the brown stuff part of its eyelid?

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your chick. It looks like there could be something causing the itching. Eyeworm could be a possibility if you are in a tropical region. I would use a clean warm wet wash cloth as a compresst to the eye for a few minutes to soften any crust. It may take some time, but just keep hold the chick and reapplying the wet compress. Then try to remove any gunk in the eye. Take a good picture of the eye. Eyeworm can be a problem where surinam cockroaches live. Other reasons for this could be a foreign body in the eye, and injury, or a respiratory infection. If you suspect eyeworm, get some albendazole or Valbazen, and give 1/2 ml orally and repeat it in 10 days. Also use equal parts of Valbazen and water or saline, and instill it in the eye. Repeat in 10 days.

 

[Eggcessive]

Keep in mind that eyeworm is rare, and only a possible problem in tropical regions. The eye also might have been pecked and injured or it got something into the eye. But I would get it cleaned up and some antibiotic ointment into the eye twice a day. Saline eye wash is available where eye drops are sold, and those work well to flush the eye. A clean wet cloth can be used as well.

 

[The Chickadoodles]

I do live in a tropical region and so far, I applied coconut oil to the brown gunk and it came off after some time, it's eye is okay and it's eyelids are still a bit plump.

 

[Little Chicken Girl]

I do live in a tropical region and so far, I applied coconut oil to the brown gunk and it came off after some time, it's eye is okay and it's eyelids are still a bit plump.

If it is not too much of a bother, I would love to see progressive pictures.