Chickens eyes swelling... Have pics. Please please help!

justchicken1

In the Brooder
Feb 16, 2015
12
0
24
NO ONE KNOWS?? ANY IDEAS?? PLEASE HELP I don't want to lose my girls!

Help! A few days ago I found one of my 4 month old pullets with her left eye swollen and she was very lethargic. I brought her in that night and tried to nurse her back to health. The next day we found another one dead and one very very ill, weak, with both eyes horribly swollen shut and squaring in horrible pain everytime we moved her or tried to touch her. We went to Orscheln's and got them some antibiotics for their water... we treated high dose as they recommended.

The next day, I checked through my pullets and I had 4 more with either one swollen eye or a watery eye. I separated them from the rest and cleaned my coop out really well, placing new hay and making sure to clear out anything that had been in there.

This was what they looked like when I pulled them out
400


And
400


I went back out yesterday morning and all 4 of my sick babies were still alive. I gave them fresh high dose antibiotic water and looked a little closer as it was getting dark when I discovered their sickness. One appeared to no longer be draining. 1 a lot more swollen with her beak becoming displaced on the top, and the other two about the same. On closer inspection I see that they do have nasal drainage and the one with mild eye drainage and not much swelling has a "knot" in front of her eye (see picture). Maybe this is where this starts and not in the eye?

400

KNOT IN FRONT OF EYE

400

SWOLLEN EYE AND DISPLACED BEAK. (Her head is so swollen it look like a tumor)

These 4 still ate well and we're doing all right yesterday morning. Please help me! Any ideas???
 
Last edited:

nchls school

Crowing
7 Years
Apr 22, 2015
7,962
5,520
466
Tennessee
Poultry Disease



Loading images...


Dehydrated and hunched
Chickens can get 180 different poultry diseases – one of them causes swollen eyes in chickens – it is called ” Infectious Coryza” and once a chicken has it the bird is a carrier for life. It is caused and transmitted by dirty litter and over crowding – it can also be passed to younger birds very easily from older chickens. You will see the eyes of the chicken swelling up and the bird sitting hunched up – it affects the respiratory tract – so the chicken will be sneezing and will have a rasp in the throat, rattling – or a wheeze. The chicken will stop eating.


Swollen eyes
In bad cases of this poultry disease both of the chickens eyes will close – and this means that the hen or broiler will not be able to see – and therefore not be able to drink – you will need to give the chicken water with a syringe – or dip their beaks into the drinker – every hour until the chickens eyes open.


Both eyes shut
Infectious Coryza is treated with Sulphachloropyrazine Sodium or the other name is ESB 3. It comes in a powder form and is mixed with water – they will need to be treated for 3 – 6 days. You can see in the photo that the chicken is so dehydrated that it’s tongue is hard and cemented to the bottom beak – that is because both of the chickens eyes are swollen shut and she has not had water for some time – you will need to get water into the hen or broiler as soon as possible. This poultry disease, once your chicken is infected, cannot be got rid of. The bird will always be a carrier of the disease – so any new chickens coming on to your farm should not be housed close to the poultry houses that have had infected chickens – and good bio security practices must be followed.

Once you have started this chicken medication you will not be able to eat the eggs from the layer for 3 days after treatment – and in broilers you will not be able to eat the chicken for 6 days afterwards. To prevent this your chicken houses or chicken coop must be spotless and free of infection before placing new birds – this means a complete scrub out of your poultry house with disinfectant and leaving the chicken house closed for at least 30 days – 60 days is better. If you are free ranging the poultry disease can be in the soil around the house – it is most easily passed through the water and dropping – fly’s can also transfer the chicken disease from hen to hen. Leave enough space between your chicken houses, and make sure you have a foot bath with chemical between each chicken coop. Don’t let other people on to your farm, and if you have to make sure they wear gumboots from your farm and properly wash before and after visiting the chicken farm. You should not visit other chicken farms as you will pass the poultry disease on.

Infectious Coryza shows when the chickens eyes are swollen. If you are watching your chickens properly you will see the first signs of the poultry disease show as the chicken blowing little bubble from her nose – this is the first sign – if you catch it then and treat with chicken medication this poultry disease can be stopped before you end up with chickens whose eyes swell up. Left untreated, this bird sickness can spread rapidly through your chicken house, and the chickens will die if left untreated. If the chickens are not reponding to treatment after 6 days it is advisable to inject the chicken with medication – usually poultry antibiotics. This is not what is known as dikkop in South Africa.
 

dawg53

Humble
Premium Feather Member
13 Years
Nov 27, 2008
29,063
19,110
996
Glen St Mary, Florida
One of the telltale signs of Infectious Coryza is a foul odor about the head area. Also, it's possible that it could be Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG) or both diseases together. For both diseases; survivors will be carriers for life and will spread the disease(s) to healthy birds. I recommend that you cull sick birds and bury them deep far away from the coop, or incinerate them. Disinfect coops, feeders and waterers.
 

justchicken1

In the Brooder
Feb 16, 2015
12
0
24
Poultry Disease
I guess I should have been a little more clear in my post and u apologize for that. .. the top picture in each set is one chicken and the bottom picture is another. Neither have both eyes swelled, only one. In fact only 1 chicken has had it affect both eyes. After the first 2 chickens. I did pick up each of my chickens and inspect them up close each day to monitor. No one appeared to have symptoms, but I could have missed it... this seems to come on very, very suddenly... like ok in the morning when I check them and let them out, then do my evening check when putting them up and they have horrible swelling and watering...

What I am understanding, however, is that my girls will always always be able to pass this along... will it always be in the soil if I stop free ranging them?

They aren't laying yet so that is good but this sounds very tough to contain since I wanted a few more!


Loading images...


Dehydrated and hunched
Chickens can get 180 different poultry diseases – one of them causes swollen eyes in chickens – it is called ” Infectious Coryza” and once a chicken has it the bird is a carrier for life. It is caused and transmitted by dirty litter and over crowding – it can also be passed to younger birds very easily from older chickens. You will see the eyes of the chicken swelling up and the bird sitting hunched up – it affects the respiratory tract – so the chicken will be sneezing and will have a rasp in the throat, rattling – or a wheeze. The chicken will stop eating.


Swollen eyes
In bad cases of this poultry disease both of the chickens eyes will close – and this means that the hen or broiler will not be able to see – and therefore not be able to drink – you will need to give the chicken water with a syringe – or dip their beaks into the drinker – every hour until the chickens eyes open.


Both eyes shut
Infectious Coryza is treated with Sulphachloropyrazine Sodium or the other name is ESB 3. It comes in a powder form and is mixed with water – they will need to be treated for 3 – 6 days. You can see in the photo that the chicken is so dehydrated that it’s tongue is hard and cemented to the bottom beak – that is because both of the chickens eyes are swollen shut and she has not had water for some time – you will need to get water into the hen or broiler as soon as possible. This poultry disease, once your chicken is infected, cannot be got rid of. The bird will always be a carrier of the disease – so any new chickens coming on to your farm should not be housed close to the poultry houses that have had infected chickens – and good bio security practices must be followed.

Once you have started this chicken medication you will not be able to eat the eggs from the layer for 3 days after treatment – and in broilers you will not be able to eat the chicken for 6 days afterwards. To prevent this your chicken houses or chicken coop must be spotless and free of infection before placing new birds – this means a complete scrub out of your poultry house with disinfectant and leaving the chicken house closed for at least 30 days – 60 days is better. If you are free ranging the poultry disease can be in the soil around the house – it is most easily passed through the water and dropping – fly’s can also transfer the chicken disease from hen to hen. Leave enough space between your chicken houses, and make sure you have a foot bath with chemical between each chicken coop. Don’t let other people on to your farm, and if you have to make sure they wear gumboots from your farm and properly wash before and after visiting the chicken farm. You should not visit other chicken farms as you will pass the poultry disease on.

Infectious Coryza shows when the chickens eyes are swollen. If you are watching your chickens properly you will see the first signs of the poultry disease show as the chicken blowing little bubble from her nose – this is the first sign – if you catch it then and treat with chicken medication this poultry disease can be stopped before you end up with chickens whose eyes swell up. Left untreated, this bird sickness can spread rapidly through your chicken house, and the chickens will die if left untreated. If the chickens are not reponding to treatment after 6 days it is advisable to inject the chicken with medication – usually poultry antibiotics. This is not what is known as dikkop in South Africa.
 

justchicken1

In the Brooder
Feb 16, 2015
12
0
24
One of the telltale signs of Infectious Coryza is a foul odor about the head area. Also, it's possible that it could be Mycoplasma Gallisepticum (MG) or both diseases together.  For both diseases; survivors will be carriers for life and will spread the disease(s) to healthy birds. I recommend that you cull sick birds and bury them deep far away from the coop, or incinerate them. Disinfect coops, feeders and waterers.


There is no odor at all... I will look up the other disease. How long after exposure does it take to show signs for Coryza?
 

nchls school

Crowing
7 Years
Apr 22, 2015
7,962
5,520
466
Tennessee
Poultry Disease
I guess I should have been a little more clear in my post and u apologize for that. .. the top picture in each set is one chicken and the bottom picture is another. Neither have both eyes swelled, only one. In fact only 1 chicken has had it affect both eyes. After the first 2 chickens. I did pick up each of my chickens and inspect them up close each day to monitor. No one appeared to have symptoms, but I could have missed it... this seems to come on very, very suddenly... like ok in the morning when I check them and let them out, then do my evening check when putting them up and they have horrible swelling and watering...

What I am understanding, however, is that my girls will always always be able to pass this along... will it always be in the soil if I stop free ranging them?

They aren't laying yet so that is good but this sounds very tough to contain since I wanted a few more!
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This information came off a site from the net. There were pictures with the article. The chickens shown looked very similar to yours. The article says that it is passed by dirty litter so I would guess that it would be in the soil too. Sorry. Yes, it does sound hard to contain. Keep in mind that this is just one possibility. Another member posted a different possibility. Perhaps there's more. My advice is to take these birds to a veterinarian to find out for sure. It may not be as bad as this. Vets cost a lot of money, I know, but in this case it may be worth it. Good luck. I hope your hens have something not as horrid.
 
Last edited:

justchicken1

In the Brooder
Feb 16, 2015
12
0
24
Poultry Disease
I guess I should have been a little more clear in my post and u apologize for that. .. the top picture in each set is one chicken and the bottom picture is another. Neither have both eyes swelled, only one. In fact only 1 chicken has had it affect both eyes. After the first 2 chickens. I did pick up each of my chickens and inspect them up close each day to monitor. No one appeared to have symptoms, but I could have missed it... this seems to come on very, very suddenly... like ok in the morning when I check them and let them out, then do my evening check when putting them up and they have horrible swelling and watering...

What I am understanding, however, is that my girls will always always be able to pass this along... will it always be in the soil if I stop free ranging them?

They aren't laying yet so that is good but this sounds very tough to contain since I wanted a few more!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This information came off a site from the net. There were pictures with the article. The chickens shown looked very similar to yours. The article says that it is passed by dirty litter so I would guess that it would be in the soil too. Sorry. Yes, it does sound hard to contain. Keep in mind that this is just one possibility. Another member posted a different possibility. Perhaps there's more. My advice is to take these birds to a veterinarian to find out for sure. It may not be as bad as this. Vets cost a lot of money, I know, but in this case it may be worth it. Good luck. I hope your hens have something not as horrid.


I have contacted my vet and unfortunately doesn't get very far. He just said to keep doing what I'm doing and they may or may not get better. If another one dies bring it up so he can cut it open.... so.... I have been crawling the internet and trying to find anything I can but have been short on information, so i so appreciate the links! I don't know if I wasn't typing in the right search or what. ...

Thank you so much! They ate looking better today after I cleaned their eyes with antibiotic ointment and put antibiotics in their water. ..
 

preciouspanda

Songster
5 Years
May 2, 2017
116
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126
texas
B4D9D841-B827-4A1B-99AC-E45FBEE8B7B2.jpeg
I have a chicken her eye is really swollen and big red and has softer bump looks like it draining a little
 

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Eggcessive

Addict
Premium Feather Member
11 Years
Apr 3, 2011
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It looks like the nostril may be plugged with drainage. Is there a bad odor around the head? What do you see inside the eye? This looks like a bacterial sinus infection. It could be coryza, MG, or even E.coli. I would separate her from your other chickens, since she is contagious. Do you have any antibiotics or do you plan on treating? There is probably pus in the eye, and it needs to come out. It can be squeezed out, but sometimes it has to be cut out. If there is a bad odor, I would try to get sulfa antibiotic, such as bactrim or SMZ-TMP. If no odor, then you might try Tylan50 injectable from a feed store, and use it orally. Clean the eye with saline and try some antibiotic ointment such as Terramycin twice a day. Clean out the nostrils so he can breathe. If you can see a vet, that would be best.
 

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