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

[Sal119]

Can anyone help? We are relatively new to chicken keeping. This morning I let me two out of the Eglu and one had her eye closed and hasnt opened it since Apart from that she seems fine, eating normally etc. Should I bathe it for her?

[Chucky Mama]

I would gently bathe it with saline and see if you can see any injury. If there is any damage to the eye you may need to get it seen by a vet.

[chelsea]

Agree with the advice given above. You could try cold tea if you don't have saline.

 

If it is still closed after 24-48 hours I would definitely recommend a trip to the vet, you can't be too careful with eyes IMO.

[Sal119]

Thank you both for the advice. I have bathed it with saline and opened it up to have a look. She' started opening it a bit herself now but the eyeball is clouded over a bit. Does this mean an infection or blindness do you think? I think a trip to the vet is needed if no better in the morning

[chelsea]

I don't want to alarm you but a cloudy eye could mean an infection. Our little Willow had a cloudy eye when she was about 8 weeks old and some stupid inadequate vet prescribed drops/gel instead of antibiotics and the infection took hold, ulcerated and she lost her sight in one eye.

 

Only after we discovered she had lost her sight did another vet mention that she should have been on Baytril.

 

But she is a little trooper and manages perfectly well with one eye, bless her.

[Sal119]

Ah poor little Willow. Thanks for that, if they don't give us antibiotics for her, I'll question it now. It's the same as when you take the kids to the docs and don't get the right response the first time!!!

[Chucky Mama]

Yes., best to visit the vets. If there is damage to the surface of the eye or an ulcer it can get quite nasty without treatment and quite quickly too. Keep up posted.

[Egluntyne]

You can use Infected eye drops on hens *Not licensed for use on poultry in UK.

 

I agree though, best to get it checked out by a vet, incase there is an injury or foreign body under the lid.

 

Cold tea is marvellous for sore eyes. I use it on myself.

[Sal119]

The OH is taking Lottie to the vet's at 10.30am. Hopefully get her sorted. Thanks all.

[Sal119]

Well Lottie went off to the vets this morning and was diagnosed with an eye infection. The vet gave her some antibiotic drops and put in the first dose for us. So hopefully she will be on the mend fingers crossed. Thanks for all the advice. Keep you posted!

[Chucky Mama]

Well worth the trip then. Infections can quickly get out of hand if left so well done to catching it. Hope it clears up quickly for her

[chelsea]

Well done for taking her so promptly you should nip it in the bud now and hopefully it will clear up pretty smartish.

[Sal119]

Well Lottie has had 3 doses of the eye drops so far and I don't know if we're expecting miracles but she doesn't seem any better yet. Suppose it's early days. She's very subdued (although the vet did say this was likely as she will be in pain and sensitive to the light), and the eye itself is still closed. I've got a feeling this stuff's not going to work ........

[chelsea]

Good job you are monitoring her. We had the same problem with Willow - we had difficulty getting the drops/gel into the eye and it just wasnt doing anything for her condition.

 

I would give it a couple of days and if she appears no better ring the vet and ask for something else.

[The Dogmother]

One of mine is a japanese bantam and very low to the ground, so is always gettign eye problems. It usually responds to bathing with cold black tea, but I sometimes need to use an ointment from the vet if it escalates to an infection. Just wish I could remember what the cream was called

[Sal119]

The vet gave us Fucithalmic drops/gel, just seems to be a bit slow in working!

[Sal119]

Just as we thought, off to the vet's with Lottie again this afternoon. Eye no better and she's not eating a lot, obviously feeling miserable. She did eat a bit of porridge and weetabix yesterday though

[Sal119]

Well Lottie has just returned from her second trip to the vets, this time with some Baytril. Saw a different vet this time (apparently deals more with birds, and seemed pretty confident that this stuff would do the trick . (Didn't rate the first one much!) Just given her the first dose (vet reckons she's probably in a lot of pain). She is on the kitchen floor at the moment in the cat box, being coaxed with porridge and sweetcorn Fingers crossed. Only downside is no eating her eggs for 6 weeks!

[jojomoojo]

Hi we are also new to keeping chickens and have had almost exactly the same problem as you. After 2 trips to the vet our Miss Pepperpot is on metacam and baytril as well as fucithalmic eye drops. The most upsetting thing is the vet has said she may have to have her eye removed at a cost of £200 approx, which we cannot afford. Is this a typcal problem? can she survive without her eye or will it become infected if left? Omlet have offered to replace both birds as we have only had them just over 2 weeks but we are already so attached to them both. I just don't know what todo. I suppose just hope and pray that the antibiotics work! Anyone go any ideas?

[Sal119]

I know what you mean about getting attached to them! I hope the antibiotics works for you. Lottie has been on the Baytril since yesterday and it seems to be having an effect as she's actually come out of the run today to have a walk around the garden and is eating a little bit more. The vet did mention to us also that if this doesn't work then they can remove the eye which I don't like the sound of so I'm keeping fingers crossed that the Baytril works. We've had ours about 3 months or so and from reading on various websites it seems to be a common problem.

[chelsea]

I don't understand why these vets do not give Baytril from the start If we had been given it for Willow - she would still have her sight.

 

With regards to removing the eye -

 

Our (good) vet decided it was better the eye stayed, he said the operation would be very difficult as our hen is very tiny and the eye is so close to the brain he was against removing it. Willow has been blind since about January and the eye has not given her any problems so far *touch wood*.

[Sal119]

Lottie has been on Baytril since Friday and is a lot better in herself, eating again and "busying" about a bit more. Up til now her eye has remained closed but I've noticed today she is starting to blink it open occasionally which is obviously a good sign, but the eyeball still looks clouded over. Is it still early days?

[Chucky Mama]

fingers crossed!

[jojomoojo]

Pepper has also been on Baytil since Thurs/Friday. She has also started opening her eye although it looks cloudy and still a bit swollen. She is and has always been eating/drinking/laying and generally free ranging in the garden since the eye problem began. I think we need to give them a few more days to see what happens? How have you left it with the vet, do they want to see Lottie again?

[chelsea]

Jojomoojo - Have you finished the Baytril?

 

If you have run out and the eye is still swollen/cloudy I would ring the vet for advice as to whether she needs another course.