Eye Infections in chicks (graphic description)

[Huny]

Has anyone seen eye infections in their chicks? I am talking crusty eyes, glued shut. The one I had to cull, it was swollen shut, and then as I tried to clean it, it was worse. The next day it was swollen up and she looked like the admiral on star wars. It was SO huge and ugly. I started cleaning it and puss (clear with white in it) started leaking out. Tonight I thought I would try and open it up a bit more, and the entire eye (WARNING: GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION VERY GROSS) .....






The entire eye looked like a curd of cottage cheese. It looked like it was in pain, and it was also one with crooked toe and feet, so I culled it. I have never culled before so I went to stretch the neck and the head sorta fell off, and when it hit the ground, the eye popped out and splatted on the ground. I can't even think of cottage cheese or feta cheese now.

Sorry for the graphic descriptions, but OH my I have never seen anything or even read anything like this. I have two more that are crusty and shut, I am cleaning out and they are cracking them open. But no one has swelling yet. Is there something I can do, and was there anything I could of done for the other one? Or was it too late for anything but putting it out of its misery? I scanned all sorts of chicken health sites and the book and nothing seemed to describe it.

 

[Huny]

Oh I was going to add. These chicks are ones I just got last week, looked healthy when I picked them up, I didn't quarantine them (I know shame on me) I stuck them in with my other 1 week old chicks. The only ones with problems are the ones I picked up, mine have no symptoms.

 

[Huny]

Anyone?

 

[AmyBella]

Hi Huny, sorry that you lost a chick in such an awful way!! This eye thing sounds just terrible! I am new to the forums and to raising chickens so I do not have any words of wisdom for you... just wanted to offer my condolences.

I have a little three week old that appears to be blind in one eye. Nothing gross, her eye is just a little cloudy. She seems to be compensating for it very well. Unfortunately, these new chicks of mine seem to have a little respiratory thing going on too. From what I have read on the forums, they may end up being carriers even if their symptoms clear up. I certainly don't want to infect the rest of my flock!

Good luck!

 

[Huny]

I did keep these guys in a seperate incubator that I had a cripple in. The cripple is not affected, and none of the others are infected, only the new ones I just bought.

The other two are looking good, I washed them out and cleaned them up and both eyes are open on them. I wonder if it was just a regular ol' eye infection that didn't get washed out and opened quickly enough?

 

[ZZsBabiez]

I have a chick that was hatched fine, was eating, etc.. all good. Then one day, whammo.. crusty eyes! It's not infected, but just crusty and sealed shut most of the time. I'm putting ointment on it when it gets bad, but the chick is not thriving at all. I will probably have to cull too. It is not mine, and I have it with my others, who have not been bothered at all as of yet.

 

[BarkerChickens]

If it is an infection you should put them on an antibiotic eye ointment such as Terramycin or at the minimum put them on a broad-spectrum antibiotic that goes in their water such as Aureomycin. Some states such as CA only sell Terramycin through a vet (not sure how AZ is) and if this is not an option for you, some BYC'ers have recommended Neosporin. However, if you use Neosporin, I highly recommend the water-soluble antibiotic.

I am so sorry you lost your chick.

Hopefully the rest will be ok.

 

[sammi]

wash they eyes with saline eye wash or human eye wash with boric acid base..and keep clean.
could be a bad case of conjuntivitis..or other eye infection.
terramycin eye ointment is available at farm/feed/animal supply stores, or one of these might be better..

http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/store/index.php?cPath=21_57

I think I would separate even tho others have been exposed...just in case.

make sure they are all on chick vitamins..

keep us updated..

 

[BarnyardPunch]

Quote:
Hi there,

I am new at chicken keeping, but I have the Chicken Health Handbook that details just about every weird thing I think possible. This might be the book you looked at, but in case it's not, here are some of the diseases that mention "cheesy eye:"

0 to 1 week - eye swollen with yellow cheesy matter
Disease: aspergillosis (acute)
Rare, 10% fatal
Treatment: None, cull
Picture of cheesy stuff: http://www.worldpoultry.net/health-diseases/a/asprgillosis-brooder-pneumonia.-7.html

and a second:

1 to 7 weeks - swollen eyelids with sticky or cheesy discharge
Disease: Roup
Rare, feed related - in chicks it's caused by vitamin A deficient breeders
Treatment: water soluble vitamin A
picture here: http://www.worldpoultry.net/health-diseases/v/vitamin-a-deficiency-nutritional-roup.-113.html


Again, I've got no idea really, but those are the "cheesy eye" diseases listed. If they also seemed to have snotty noses, cholera is indicated.

 

[Huny]

Thank you SO much for the link to the First State Vet Supply. We only have one feed store here and he is horrible with chickens and care of them.

Has anyone used this?

Ciloxan Eye Drops