4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[iar fach goch]

This morning I noticed that one of our new girls has a problem with one of her eyes, has been fine up until now, but this morning she was keeping it closed, opening it only occassionally. She's not very tame yet but I managed to get hold of her to have a closer look this afternoon. It doesn't appear to be infected, in that it isn't sticky in any way and there doesn't appear to be any kind of discharge. If anything it looks really dry and sunken. There are no noticeable cuts or grazes on the eyelid. She is still eating and drinking, sunbathing and scratching around, but to a lesser degree than usual; she has spent a lot more time standing still this afternoon, so I presume it is bothering her. Any advice would be gratefully received. Should I bathe the eye, if so with what? (apart from another pair of hands?), do you think she needs some eye drops. (Don't know if this is a silly question but would human drops, the type you use for conjunctivitis, help? as I have those in the house). My YS is also pretty poorly at the moment, so i've spent most of the day trying to keep him happy, whilst keeping an eye on her.

[Egluntyne]

I always bathe any dodgy eyes with cold tea ( no milk, no sugar!) and find it works wonders. It is very soothing and slightly antiseptic.

 

If it becomes gungy, you can use Infected Eye Drops.*Not licensed for use on poultry in UK.

 

If it doesn't improve, a trip to the vet might be in order.

[iar fach goch]

Thanks for the reply, will try to catch her and OH before he goes to work!

[Valkyrie]

Well I was going to post a similar question - Apache has got a slightly puffy eye. She is eating fine, but mostly sitting in the shade. I can't see any sign of cuts, and she was fine before rummaging around the borders last night - I had given her bum a bath earlier and she was fine then. I bathed it last night - she will open it when she is wandering - tail up fine, and the puffiness is hardly noticeable, but there nevertheless. I am going to try the tea (I'm sure OH will want some if he hears the kettle boiling!) as there isn't any gunky bits either. Here's me ordering some wound powder for those just in case moments, and they do something else instead!

Thanks both of you for raising the subject and having an answer (before tackling the vet). Hope your chicken is better soon.

[iar fach goch]

She is opening her eye more now, which I presume is a good sign, although there is some discharge when I bathe it, so I have started to use the drops.She seems perfectly happy in herself today, so hopefully it's on the mend.

[Valkyrie]

Glad to hear your girl sounds better. Mine is moping at the moment - but she ran up for sultanas and laid an egg earlier on. She isn't scratching but sleeping in the shade. I have food and water close to her. I also bathed her eye area - after a tug of war with Piggy Sioux who snatched some cotton wool from me and I had to get it off her before she swallowed it. Nothing easy happens here. I will have another go later on and make sure she has something to eat and drink.

[Valkyrie]

Last night Apache had a little food and water. I have bathed her eye again this morning and she had a good breakfast and scratching around instead of sleeping. Her eye is open although still a bit puffy around the edges. She certainly is very vociferous today - making up for lost time! Hope your hen has fully recovered, iar fach goch.

[iar fach goch]

Unfortunately eye does not seem to be improving any more; there is still some discharge when I clean it, but hen does now open it for short periods during the day and she also seems perfectly happy in herself, doing all the normal hen things. The only time she shows any sign of distress is when we handle her!

[Budgies]

It might be worth trying to get her to a vet. Simply because these things can sometimes lead to other problems, or worse, if it's contagious, spread to your other girls.

 

Sorry to hear it's not improving much.

[Valkyrie]

Sorry to hear that. I agree, it does sound like a trip to the vet because the bathing isn't working - or perhaps give the vet a ring to see what they suggest - if she is otherwise happy. At the moment I have been getting a poxy eye now and again - allergic to rape which is everywhere round here - if I get pollen in the eye . . . Perhaps your hen has an allergy, or a grain of dirt might have embedded itself and will need the vet to remove it. Time to get hold of some Bach's remedy to chill her out too.

My one is much better - and very gobby she is - I am thinking about stuffing her at the moment after this morning's performance!

[iar fach goch]

Well after I had located ( I hope) a chicken friendly vet (he keeps his own, but they are regarded as livestock rather than pets), she seems to have made a recovery and eye is now open, will keep an eye on her (no pun intended!) in case it returns - at least now I know where to take her next time! Thanks for all your advice.