Poorly chicken

[pistachio]

hello everyone - one of my hens has one sore closed eye and I'm wondering if anyone has any tips for how to look after it. She's eating and otherwise fine (apart from being a little more tentative probably due to less good vision) but I wonder if there is anything I can do to help her along other than watch and maybe bathe the eye like I would with a child

 

Also - do Pepperpot and Gingernut Rangers ever moult - mine have been here for a while now and there's no sign. They used to be terrible pluckers but now seem to have calmed down. But they have never lost feathers due to a moult which surprised me.

 

Thanks for any help or tips you have

[Chucky Mama]

Re the eye; I wouldn't take any risks as a small ulcer untreated on the surface of the eye can get nasty quicky and result in the loss of the eye. Ulcers can occur following an untreated scratch or infection. Initially I would advise bathing it in dilute salt water (1 teaspoon to 1 pint) or cold tea (no milk!). This should help you to open the eye and to have a better look. She may need antibiotic drops from the vet (consulatation would be needed as they can't give it over the counter without seeing her).

 

Oops, forgot about the moulting! Only 1 of mine has ever moulted so I wouldn't worry too much about that

[pistachio]

Thanks chucky mama

 

I will use that advice. I have some antibiotic powder for oral administration from the vet (he gave it me a while back for something else and said he'd give me extra in case any of them get scratched) which I was thinking about using - but an infected eye is a bit different. I'll see how she goes this morning and if it's not looking good I'll nip her down the vets and see if he can give her some drops. He doesn't know much about chickens but he's rather intrigued by them and very friendly and doesn't charge much or treat them like lesser animals like I've heard some people do. Thanks for the advice

[Chucky Mama]

A good plan The antibiotics would need to go via drops into the eye rather than orally. She may need an anti inflammatory such as metacam as sore eyes can be very painful.

[pistachio]

Have given her eyes a couple of bathes and it has improved. Will stay on alert and keep going. Poor Antigone is walking around with her head sideways trying to keep peripheral vision. That's the problem if your eyes are right on the sides of your head - when you can see you can see nearly all the way round - when one gets sticky you're constantly turning circles. Poor thing. She's a feisty one though and isn't losing heart

[Chucky Mama]

Ok, keep it bathed and watch out for any cloudiness.

[staceychristie]

We used Brolene (from chemists) following advice from others on this Forum, and ours recovered the next day. THIS IS NOT LICENSED FOR POULTRY, so use at your discretion.

 

Good luck

 

Stacey

[pistachio]

Thanks you two.

 

I gave her eye another bathe a couple of minutes ago and a little bit of what may have been plant floated loose and I managed to wash it away. It looks much better now but I'm going to keep watching and bathing. I can't see any scratch or cloudiness but obviously she's a bit upset by all the manhandling. She's otherwise fine - eating and drinking and wandering around with the others. I'm off to check on her again before they go in for the night. thanks for the advice as usual it helps to have other chicken people to chat through these things with.

[Lynne Argent]

Hi  I bought 4 ex battery hens 2 weeks ago 1 has since left us.  1 has an eye closed and is quite swollen she is very much a loner as the other 2 give her a tuff time pecking her all the time I suspect the swollen eye is due to pecking.  She will not go in the coop at night so we bought out a nesting box for her she seems quite happy but very lonely I will bath the eye tomorrow first up, how can i stop the other chooks from pecking her.