Last week something got a couple of my hens and injured one more. The hen is recovering from fairly severe head injuries but can not open one eye. The eye is good, but the eye lid does not open. I have pulled the lid down and applied something like sterile eye drops to keep the eye moist. I have noticed a tiny torn
area at the top back area or the eye lid.....it is now a tiny scab. The edge of the eyelid is now getting a bit red.
I would appreciate any help anyone can give. Hopefully all advise will be based on a similar circumstance.
Injured hen can't open one eye
Cajun,
I don't know. I'm sure someone will be along soon. Sorry to hear about her eye. I hope it all works out for the best!
Kristin
So far, you did good. As long as the drops are ONLY saline...they will help keep it from getting infection. Can you put some anti-biotic ointment on the outer part, at all? That's what they had me to do to one of my doggies.
~music
Just found this on ALLEXPERT Chicken Farming:
Her eye may have an infection; is it smelly or weeping? I always advise people to get antibiotics from their vets if there is a chance the chicken could have an infection, so you should probably do this. Don't bother taking her in unless they ask you to, as this will cause unnecessary stress to her. Weigh her, then ring up the vets and tell them exactly what has happened and ask for antibiotics; they'll want to know her weight so they can give you the right amount of drugs.
If you get antibiotics you will probably have to give them to her in a syringe; this is easier than it sounds (if you've ever had to give medicine to a dog or a cat you probably know how difficult it is), so don't worry about it. Remember as always with antibiotics you cannot eat the eggs for as long as she is on them and for eight days after she is 'clean'.
I would say try not to poke or wipe or rub at the area with anything, but flushing it is a very good idea. Try doing it with a saline solution but ask your vets advice first if you are trying to save her eye as the salt may dry it out. I would use the saline solution you get for contact lenses but I'd always ring up my vets for advice first.
If the other chickens start to take an unhealthy interest in her eye ie. pecking or preening around it, then I suggest you separate her as they may want to have a good peck at it and it could end up in her losing it.
~music
This message was edited Oct 26, 2008 6:00 PM
I'm sorry to say that my injured hen is dead. I guess she had more injuries than I knew.
I want to thank everyone that tried to help me. Since this was my
first adventure into the "land of chickens" I learned a lot and I will
probably be back with questions.