Luvachicken Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Unfortunately we were out all day yesterday and quite a lot of today so I only got a chance to look at the girls about 7 tonight. Chloe was sat sleeping under the bench but soon came running towards me when I opened the door so I thought she was ok until I looked at her eye a bit closer. It seemed a bit swollen and was closed. Her other eye is perfectly normal. I think she has been eating and drinking but couldn't say how much as I wasn't here. I brought her indoors and bathed her eye and popped her back with the others. I couldn't keep her separate as Polly is in the cage right now. She didn't stay long with the others and went to bed about 8, almost an hour before the others. I'm hoping she will be ok until I can get to the vets in the afternoon tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 19, 2015 Share Posted July 19, 2015 Fingers crossed it's nothing serious . Keep us posted . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 19, 2015 Author Share Posted July 19, 2015 Thanks ANH. I will let you know how we get on tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 I hope she is ok. Just irrigate it with cool black tea. If it doesn't resolve, or looks infected after 24 hours, then she ought to go to the vet for antibiotic drops or eye ointment. Hopefully it is just some dust or a grass seed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 Any news? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 Went to the vets earlier and have come back with some Baytril and some antibiotic eye ointment. He said he couldn't confirm whether she had an infection or had hurt her eye on something but that it was swollen. He told me to wash her eye during the day, put the ointment on twice a day and Baytril once a day. Poor little thing, she looks quite sorry for herself. I gave her the medicine once we got in and then popped her back with her friends. A couple of them were quite nasty to her and kept looking at her strangely and I could see what they going to do to Chloe. She ended popping herself on a perch well away from the others. Unfortunately Polly is in our dog crate being broody so I don't have anywhere safe to keep her on her own so I'm hoping the others will be nice to her tonight and first thing tomorrow. Thank goodness it is almost the Summer holidays for me and I can spend a lot more time watching her. She does look sad walking round with one eye shut Thanks everyone for the advice and your concerns xx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 20, 2015 Share Posted July 20, 2015 That sounds good, although if she has antibiotic eye ointment, she probably doesn't need the Baytril as well, but you may as well give it to her. Bathe her eye twice a day, either with sterile saline or cold black tea. I would be tempted to hoik the broody out and use the crate for the poorly chook until she is better, then start again with the broody. If she has a bad eye, she won't be able to see the others approaching from that side, so they may pick on her and she will get stressed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 20, 2015 Author Share Posted July 20, 2015 Thanks for the advice Dogmother I could turf Polly out in the morning and let Chloe have the broody cage and then she could recover in peace. So many things to sort before I head off to work but it will be worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 I'm trying to imagine how hard it must be to get something into a chicken's eye . That little shimmy head shake they do must make it really difficult! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 It isn't easy, and you can get splattered! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 21, 2015 Author Share Posted July 21, 2015 I'm trying to imagine how hard it must be to get something into a chicken's eye . That little shimmy head shake they do must make it really difficult! Yes they are pretty wriggly aren't they I found it relatively easy by putting her on a towel on the draining board and holding her against my tummy. She really hated having her eye washed in the first place and she thought she had hidden her head from me but she had got herself in such a place there was no escape from the ointment. Her eye looks much better already, although she is still a bit quiet but the others have at least left her alone today. Funny thing is though that I put her baytril on sweetcorn yesterday but she wasn't too impressed, today I popped it on mealworms and she was even less impressed. Might try a strawberry tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 21, 2015 Share Posted July 21, 2015 Baytril is pretty bitter, so you're best syringing it directly down her beak. be sure to hold her beak closed while she swallows or she will shake her head and splatter you with it. If you are trying this on your own, you may find it easier to kneel on the floor and back her in between your thighs so that she can't wriggle away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 22, 2015 Author Share Posted July 22, 2015 Queenie was excellent at taking the Baytril - I would dribble a bit on the side of her beak and she would lick it off. Lucie on the other hand is a sharer and quite a bit did not go in so I didn't even want to chance it with Chloe. Tonight was much more successful, I put the Baytril on some dried corn mix and it went down a treat She is also looking a lot better and has been more her usual self and joining in with the others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Try using a syringe, open her beak and drip the dose onto her tongue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted July 22, 2015 Share Posted July 22, 2015 Glad Chloe's on the up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 Glad Chloe's on the up Well she was, until I checked her this afternoon and noticed a small lump/spot/raised bit by her eye. I'm pretty sure it wasn't there earlier and I have no idea what it is. It looks like a blocked tear duct if chickens have such a thing. And then on Friday, Zoe - Chloe's twin, started to have a swollen eye too. Fortunately we had gone to the café next door to the vets so I popped in to ask for some more medicine. The vet was operating but the nurse said she would have everything ready by the time we had finished lunch. We popped in after, only for the vet to pop out and say I might as well share the medicine between the 2 girls as I had enough, so that's what I've been doing. Unfortunately Zoe hasn't recovered as quickly as Chloe but she is getting better slowly. So far none of the others have developed a poorly eye and I'm hoping that they don't. I just hope when I check on them all in the morning everything will be back to normal. I hate knowing that my chickens feel poorly and seeing unexpected things makes me worry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted July 27, 2015 Share Posted July 27, 2015 That's really odd luvachicken. There's not a plant or something that could be irritating them is there? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 27, 2015 Author Share Posted July 27, 2015 That's really odd luvachicken. There's not a plant or something that could be irritating them is there? No, only the mini bale of straw that they have which I gave a good haircut to today to remove any sticky out bits. I'm thinking it is something contagious. Unless catkin things from the neighbours sweet chestnut tree can cause problems Some have fallen into their run. I can see another trip to the vet coming up which I really don't mind, but not sure how good it is really for them in the car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 They can get a sort of conjunctivitis just like us; it could be that. So long as they are in a dark, well ventilated box, they will be fine - they go into a sort of roost mode in those circumstances, and stay calm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 28, 2015 Author Share Posted July 28, 2015 Thanks Dogmother Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted July 28, 2015 Share Posted July 28, 2015 Hope it's nothing more than an irritation and they both recover soon . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted July 29, 2015 Author Share Posted July 29, 2015 Hope it's nothing more than an irritation and they both recover soon . Thank you Zoe does seem to be a bit better today but still insists on wiping the eye cream straight off. I think this is why she is taking longer to recover. Chloe took hardly any time at all to be her normal self but then she didn't wipe the eye cream off. Zoe was meant to finish her medicine today but I think I will do it for a few days more to be on the safe side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
