Worms in chick eyes

[alohamade]

I noticed a few of my silkie chicks (8-10 weeks) have ‘worms’ swimming around the inside of their eyelids. I researched it is caused from eating cockroaches that were infected with the worms. I do let them free range everyday and cockaroaches in Hawaii are all over the place. Any suggestions on what I can do to get rid of the worms? And how to prevent it?

 

[Alexander2000]

1. Try to go to a vet.and I mean try your best worms in eyes poor chickens

 

[The Phantom]

@casportpony

 

[dawg53]

Mix equal parts of Valbazen and water, then flush the eyes. Then dose each bird orally 1/2cc valbazen, repeat dosing orally again in 10 days.

 

[chrisb01]

I noticed a few of my silkie chicks (8-10 weeks) have ‘worms’ swimming around the inside of their eyelids. I researched it is caused from eating cockroaches that were infected with the worms. I do let them free range everyday and cockaroaches in Hawaii are all over the place. Any suggestions on what I can do to get rid of the worms? And how to prevent it?

Let me just interject this here: I use metronidazole for my fish, it takes care of most parasites (in fish), don't know about chicken.. Has anyone used it before for chicken?

 

[coach723]

Since eye worm is a form of roundworm, I don't think metronidazole would be effective. Metronidazole is usually used in some cases of a protozoan type parasite infection (https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/medicine-chart). I've heard of ivermectin being used, valbazen, a diluted cresol solution (5%), or vetRX. I've never had to treat eye worm, but I would personally be inclined to go with the valbazen.
To the OP, the only way to prevent it is to get rid of the roaches that are carrying it, I realize that may be difficult in your environment, but hopefully you can reduce the population in your chickens area at least. It may be something that you just have to deal with, and retreat for, in your flock.

Edited: I originally wrote creosote rather than cresol - my bad for being in a hurry!

 

[dawg53]

Eyeworm larva migrate from the crop up to the esophagus, then up to the tear duct. (Not all at once neither.)
This is why you orally dose the infected bird with valbazen, to kill the larva, after flushing the eyes with the 50/50 valbazen/water mixture.

 

[TexasSam]

Can you get cresol?

 

[coach723]

Can you get cresol?

Thank you, I corrected my post because this is what I meant to say the first time!

 

[TexasSam]

Since eye worm is a form of roundworm, I don't think metronidazole would be effective. Metronidazole is usually used in some cases of a protozoan type parasite infection (https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/medicine-chart). I've heard of ivermectin being used, valbazen, a diluted cresol solution (5%), or vetRX. I've never had to treat eye worm, but I would personally be inclined to go with the valbazen.
To the OP, the only way to prevent it is to get rid of the roaches that are carrying it, I realize that may be difficult in your environment, but hopefully you can reduce the population in your chickens area at least. It may be something that you just have to deal with, and retreat for, in your flock.

Edited: I originally wrote creosote rather than cresol - my bad for being in a hurry!