White Ameracauna Rooster attached and blinded by another roo

[southdakota]

Is there anything I can do? My beautiful white ameracauna roo was attacked by a mongrel naked neck rooster today. He did not return to the coop and when I went looking for him I found him lying on the ground. When I went to pick him up he ran into the car tire.
One eye is gone for sure, the other might still be there but was injured.

Suggestions? I will buy some vetricyn eye gel in the morning and treat both his eyes.
I really love this roo, he is gentle, beautiful and produces 100 percent fertility in his girls....if he is blind, can he have any kind of a quality of life? Or should I put him down?

My first thought is to confine him to the coop for a week, making sure he eats and drinks and see if he gets sight back in that one eye.

Suggestions?

 

[southdakota]

Thank you in advance for any suggestions. I have had one Rooster that lost one eye and does fine....but a totally blind rooster ???

 

[leadwolf1]

I have read threads on here with people who have blind chickens. They just do not let them free range and keep food and water always in the same place. Maybe you could try searching for blind chickens and see if you can find those threads. I'm so sorry this happened...why does it always have to be our favorites?

 

[chickenzoo]

Rinse his eyes with sterile saline, you can put it in the refrig so it's cold to help relieve swelling. You'd be surprised what may be there under all that swelling..... Apply non pain relief noes porcine to the eyes. This will help keep the lids from sticking shut. You will need to flush them often. Life is best with some sight but I have had totally blind chickens live a pretty good life as long as they were kept in a coop with a friend, water and food kept in same place. My one little hen still scratched in the food, did the happy clucks and layed an egg every day... Even perched. One of my Roos enjoyed his life, crowed and followed his girl in the coop. He always seemed like a happy roo. Right now he is fearful, so keep him in a safe smaller area with just one friend. It often depends on the chickens temperament but I have many one eyed or almost blind Roos that still free range.

 

[sourland]

Rinse his eyes with sterile saline, you can put it in the refrig so it's cold to help relieve swelling. You'd be surprised what may be there under all that swelling..... Apply non pain relief noes porcine to the eyes. This will help keep the lids from sticking shut. You will need to flush them often. Life is best with some sight but I have had totally blind chickens live a pretty good life as long as they were kept in a coop with a friend, water and food kept in same place. My one little hen still scratched in the food, did the happy clucks and layed an egg every day... Even perched. One of my Roos enjoyed his life, crowed and followed his girl in the coop. He always seemed like a happy roo. Right now he is fearful, so keep him in a safe smaller area with just one friend. It often depends on the chickens temperament but I have many one eyed or almost blind Roos that still free range.

Excellent advice. Get the vetricyn in the AM and start treating his eyes. Dip his bill in a water container or administer water by way of a syringe if necessary. Once the swelling goes down, hopefully he will be OK. It would be rare that both eyes were lost. Good luck, and keep us updated.

 

[southdakota]

I just went out and checked him with a flashlight in the dark. I seem to see a glimmer of an eye behind the swelling on one side. Thank you all for your help and advice. I will update later after I have treated his poor little eyes.
Should I give him some fish mox? (amoxicillin) To fight infection?
I keep fish mox and fish zole (Metronidazole) on hand ... it comes in useful here on the ranch.

 

[sourland]

At this point I would simply go with the topical eye treatment. I am always reluctant to use systemic antibiotic therapy unless absolutely necessary. Good update - keep them coming.

 

[southdakota]

Hallelujah !!!!

I went out with the vetrycin, tucked him under my arm and sprayed his poor little face. It seems his eyelids were stuck together ....BUT.....DRUMROLL HERE !!!!
HE STILL HAS BOTH HIS EYES !!! I used a warm washcloth to unstick his eyelids and sprayed again with vetricyn as the formula for the eye wash seems to be the same as the wound spray.

I will keep him in the coop today to let him rest and recuperate. But he appears to have sight in both eyes.
Thank you all for the wonderful advice and help you gave me. I really do love this roo and appreciate the guidance. So he is treated, his eyes are open and he is on the mend before the stores in town opened, thanks to you for pointing the way to treat him with what I had on hand.

By the way, I buy my vetricyn from amazon on subscribe and save and actually save quite a bit over the feed store. It is wonderful to keep on hand for pretty much any warm blooded mammmal including people and I have heard it is good for reptiles too.

I will update tomorrow when I let him out but it looks good. I will keep treating him throughout the day with the vetrycin and a warm washcloth.

 

[BirdyMe]

Glad he's doing better!

Vetricyn is definitely the way to go. Along with the saline to flush his eyes out.

Also, put him on an electrolyte supplement if you have them. Those'll perk him up a little.

 

[sourland]

Good news! Keep him away from the other rooster or he will get his butt kicked again.