One of my girls eye lid is torn...

[BlackDogPack]

On the top corner of my girls eye it's torn. Her eye was swollen and gunky and I checked it out, looks like she either got the corner of the lid caught on something or possibly tore by a roo or another hen... anyway, I cleaned it out and flushed it - her eyeball is ok. I put vetropolycin on it, an antibiotic made for eyes. Called my vet and she said it was fine. Had it left over from my cat.

So anything else I should do? She is in the quarantine pen now. The vetropolycin has three different antibiotics in it for different bacterias.

Looks like it hurts! Poor girl.

 

[mccabe]

Aloha, Blackdogpack. I think you've done a wonderful job. Consider your own eye. Try to keep the eyeball moist. Perhaps a drop of sterile water every hour or so for a day. Aloe vera is amazing as a quick healer. Very very gently coat the entire eye area with it. Give her special treats--a few fresh greens or a little piece of fruit with her scratch, little extras. Keep her warm, dry, clean.

It does sound like she bumped i to something, but do check the eye carefully for discharge or worms or swelling. If it was troubling her she could've scratched the eye herself trying to get relief. And consider, if her pain becomes unbearable, if she seems to really be suffering, putting her down. You must be the judge of whether she is really improving and the pain is lessening, or you are wishing for what is not. You sound like a very caring and conscientious farmer/owner. Good for you.

 

[Judy]

She should be fine. If you can figure out a way to make a sort of eye patch for her it should help reduce the discomfort. A little vet wrap gently over the eye and around might do it. Other than that I'd keep reapplying the ointment 2 or 3 times a day to keep it greased up. I wouldn't put anything else in there.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I used the same thing on my rooster's eye a couple times a day. He didn't have a visible cut but it was swollen and it improved in a few days.

 

[Andora]

The same thing happened to one of my hens once. It healed up with a small scar and she was fine!

 

[BlackDogPack]

Thanks guys. She seems 'fine' other than her eye. She did seem to have a bit of an infection in it, is there something safe I can wipe it out with that wont hurt her eye other than water? She keeps her eye closed for the most part, so her actual eyeball should be ok and not dry out. I checked her over and don't see any worms or anything, just the tear in the upper corner. If needed I might even swing by my vets and see if I can get antibiotics that might help clear up the infection. The eye stuff should do the trick, hopefully.