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[lib.e.]

Hello there, 

I need some chicken advice. I have a young bantum in my flock who has had one of her eyes half shut for a few days now. I've noticed she is not as lively as usual. She is also rubbing her beak on the ground a lot more, scratching around her eye more and also keeps opening her mouth. I have cleaned it with salt water but not sure what to do. I am hoping that it's something that will just heal itself but not sure. 

 

Any advice would be much appreciated. 

[mullethunter]

If you’ve tried unsuccessfully to wash it out and you can’t see any obvious damage, you’ll probably need to get her for a vet for diagnosis. Hens will hide illness until they’re really quite poorly, so if she’s behaving in a manner that suggests to you that she’s not right, then she probably really is quite poorly.

[Beantree]

We had a hen with similar symptoms and she was taken to the vet immediately. It's too easy for an eye infection to develop with the potential for blindness. She was sedated so that the vet could have a good look under the eyelid for any debris. Nothing found, but we were given anti-bacterial eye drops to administer as a precaution. 

It may be something else like a nasal infection, so vet treatment is essential I think.

[Luvachicken]

Sounds similar to one that I had.

I agree with the others that she needs to see a vet and be given antibiotics.

Hope she gets better soon.