Chicken with swollen eye

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Chicken with swollen eye
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Home on the Hill

Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 313
Location: Warwickshire

Posted: Mon May 04, 09 4:40 pm Post subject: Chicken with swollen eye

One of my chooks has a swelling around her eye and I have no idea what to do about it? Any thoughts appreciated!
She's a rather old (3 years?) hybrid and the swelling is in the red bit of skin around her eye - well, more behind it really. It's been getting worse for a few weeks - I was hoping it would get better by itself, but it isn't. In fact, it's getting bigger. Her eye itself is fine. She doesn't appear to be ill and is still running about doing her chickeny stuff. I'm not sure how well she's laying but that could be her age rather than this problem. I tried to get a photo but she won't stand still!

Thanks in advance for any ideas....Carrie

Mrs Baggins

Joined: 21 Sep 2008
Posts: 837
Location: West Kent

Posted: Mon May 04, 09 7:22 pm Post subject:
Sorry no idea other than a pair of Jackie O sunglasses but hopefully the experts will be along with some real advice in a mo. Hope you get to the bottom of it soon and that it's nowt serious.

Home on the Hill

Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 313
Location: Warwickshire

Posted: Mon May 04, 09 7:47 pm Post subject:
Well at least I don't feel such an idiot now for not knowing what to do - it looks like no-one else does either. I'm off to think about it over my knitting! Carrie - still

chez

Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 35934
Location: The Hive of the Uberbee, Quantock Hills, Somerset

Posted: Mon May 04, 09 7:57 pm Post subject:
I'm at a loss - it might be a touch of mycoplasma; but very slight, if there's no discharge. They tend to get 'soapy' bubbles in their eyes with it, too. Bodger or Ixy or Tavascarow are my Poultry Gurus - perhaps they'll know?

Bodrighy

Joined: 15 Aug 2008
Posts: 2157
Location: Near Devizes

Posted: Mon May 04, 09 8:25 pm Post subject:
I'm speaking as someone who doesn't know chickens yet (later this week but the first thing that occured to me as I've seen it in kids and dogs was dust. Is it possible that she has got dust in the eye and it has itrritated or doesn't this happen to hens? pet

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Tue May 05, 09 7:01 am Post subject:

You can get a dose of antibiotics for her if you trawl the internet. Tylan or similar, just to cover anything nasty. Couldbe a peck/dust/small infection. You could catch her and atempt to GENTLY SQUEEZE around the area to ascertain if there is any pus or if itis a deep set problem. vets are generally useless and expensive, but David Shingleton is an ace poultry vet (google him).
I went to a poultry health/autopsy event he did - excellent!

Home on the Hill

Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 313
Location: Warwickshire

Posted: Tue May 05, 09 8:38 am Post subject:
Yes, I think I need to catch her to have a closer look. First I have to catch the cockerel and pen him up, or he'll attack me for chasing hs wives! Wish me luck...Carrie

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Tue May 05, 09 10:06 am Post subject:

Does your bird stink ?
One possibility is coryza or roup as its more commonly known.

The first signs of the disease,are sneezing, nasal discharge which will clog the nostrils and sinuses causing a foul odour. As the disease progresses the exudate becomes thick and cheesey looking, causing an extremely swollen face and eyes. There can also be a rattle from the throat.
The treatment suggested, if this is what your bird has, is a course of something called sulfathiazole either in tablet or powder form. I personally, would 'neck it' because if its coryza, its catching and other poultry might come down with it. Birds that recover from it, can also become carriers.

Another option, is that your bird might have CRD, A 1/2 cc injection of Tyalin 50 just under the skin and then the same again in the breast muscle every day for five days might also help the bird if and its a big IF, if the swollen eye has been caused by CRD.

Its very tricky to diagnose long distance I hasten to add.

Home on the Hill

Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 313
Location: Warwickshire

Posted: Tue May 05, 09 10:36 am Post subject:

Hmmm - I don't think it's that serious. I doesn't stink or have any discharges or rattles. Just looks and behaves completely normally, apart from this swelling behind her eye. Also, it's been there for a few weeks and none of the others have caught it, or appeared ill in any way.
Think I'll try and catch her and see if I can see anything that might help. Some oral antibiotics are a possibility.
BUT, I haven't necked the hybrids despite their lack of laying many eggs because that seems a bit ruthless. But I don't want to spend much on an old, un productive bird. So maybe I will neck her....

Will keep you posted - thanks for the advice....Carrie

Tavascarow

Joined: 06 Aug 2006
Posts: 8407
Location: South Cornwall

Posted: Tue May 05, 09 11:40 am Post subject:
Or it could be a simple pecking injury. Bathing with a mild salt water solution (Teaspoon in a pint of tepid water or some of the cream you can get from vets for eyes. They are pretty general, same one used for all the animals I know including humans but I've forgotten its name. Antiseptic & mild atibiotic I think.

Beki

Joined: 12 May 2008
Posts: 128
Location: North Kent

Posted: Tue May 05, 09 9:11 pm Post subject:
we had a chook with a swollen eye - no other real problems as far as i can recall. we took her to the vets and he prescribed baytril, for all of the chooks as a preventative to the others, and we added it to their water until the course was over. it took a couple of weeks or so for her eye to go down completely, but it did the trick! good luck

spicycauldron

Joined: 28 Aug 2007
Posts: 418
Location: North Yorkshire

Posted: Thu May 07, 09 6:19 am Post subject:

I had one like this last year, Tyrol or whatever it is called, that did the trick and we got the stuff from our local vet who only sees chooks as emergencies (weird) but simply took note of what was wrong without seeing the hen and gave us a prescription. They hopelessly overprescribe for the number of hens most 'home farmers' have and the stuff lasts a while so we've got a stock in for the next time antibiotics are needed.

Also, bathing the swollen eye religiously every day, twice a day, with a mild salt water solution, is very helpful in relieving soreness and swelling.

It can take time to get right, though. Don't expect overnight recovery.

Home on the Hill

Joined: 06 Feb 2005
Posts: 313
Location: Warwickshire

Posted: Fri May 08, 09 7:02 pm Post subject:
Managed to find some time today (it's been a hectic week) and play 'chase the chicken' - quite upset Hugh the Cockerel. Anyway, the swelling is soft and there's no sign of any injury. Here's some pics. I'm off to surf for some chook anti-biotics now but if anyone has a better idea, please let me know...Carrie

Bodger

Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 13524

Posted: Fri May 08, 09 7:11 pm Post subject:
Phew Carrie that does look bad. If you can ignore it and the bird isn't suffering I'd be tempted to leave it and see how things go.

Lorrainelovesplants

Joined: 13 Oct 2006
Posts: 6521
Location: Dordogne

Posted: Fri May 08, 09 7:38 pm Post subject:
Looks really awful. I'd be tempted t wipe it with a dsinfectant wipe and lance it, then disinfect again, at least if is poison it will let it out. Is it hot to touch? If s, its pretty safe to say its infected.

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