Sore eye advice needed

One of my new little cockerels has a sore eye. Looks like maybe he got a poke during transport ... it happens. What do you do in a case like this? I wiped his eye with a cloth and warm water to make sure it wasn't crusted shut and then I used a few polysporin antibiotic drops directly into his eye. This morning his eye looked worse as the whole eyeball area looks swollen. I persevered and put drops in all day and I think it looks better but I guess I will be able to see it better in the morning. I think I am just being paranoid but his little traveling friend looks like he is also getting a sore eye. Eeek, I put drops in his eye too just in case and again I will have to wait until morning to see but I thought maybe someone might have some ideas for me if there is anything else I could be doing that I just haven't thought of.

XOX Monika

All I can say is keep them seperate from you other birds. It doesn't sound good to me.

I would agree with coopslave, you should seperate them and if the eye drops do not help them, then you should start them on antibiotics. There are a few contageous diseases out there that can start with a sore looking eye.

I did check them this morning and the one fellow's eye isn't as red on the outside and doesn't look as swollen but he is not opening it. The second little fellow's eyes look ok. I think I am just being major paranoid I have read bits and pieces about colloidal silver and I know that Cynthia makes her own which I think I would like to do but meanwhile can I just purchase some? I could check back on posts but tend to be lazy that way ... These little guys are from European parents and very very good stock, normally I like to stay away from antibiotics, but I do have Tylan on hand. Is this what you would use to cover all bases?

XOX Monika

I have a problem that's not really similar, but in the research I've done trying to place what it is, I have managed to locate something with symptoms like yours that are listed.

I have found that Coryza fits both my symptoms and yours. Seems to be more of a pest than Mareks, I guess and can be very resistant to anti-biotics. The one hen I have with eye symptoms has foamy, frothy eyes that are very glassy, but she looks alert otherwise. I have found the majority of the birds I have that are coming down ill come from a specific batch of eggs I hatched; I've considered culling all of those birds from that particular hatch since they've all come down with something or other.

If it is Coryza, it's also one of those pass-it-on things, that eggs that are hatched out by an infected or carrying hen are born as carriers with their immune systems ramped up to fight the illness. This is my understanding at least, more experienced Chicken-ers may be able to help us both out by informing us if they know this to be otherwise.

I'm going to resort to my usual cure-all -- ACV (with mother) in the water (1 tbsp per galon) for 14 days before merging down to every few days here and there, and 1 dropper full of oil of oregano to every 2 cups of plain, all natural yogurt served to the chickens delight for 7 days. I usually premix 2 or 3 containers and just divide them over 7 days, usally dumping a Tbsp full into their water as well.

Oil of oregano has been my go to, as it's a natural, highly potent anti-biotic. I've used it on my cats, dogs, family and friends with much success, and it helped me battle off Cocci. with a decent result.

Keep us posted on your treatment choice and how it goes? I'd like to be able to keep your info on hand as well

I would be hitting the tylan.

I have been following this with interest. I have a pullet from a bunch of 10, home raised, segregated from the others that has her eyes 'glued' shut with dried gunk. I separated her and have also been treating with polysporin after loosening and removing the gunk with warm water. I have been working on her for about 5 days and every day her eyes were glued shut again...until today!

I am not too worried as she is not sneezing, does not have raspy breath, no swelling, bubbly eye, etc. No one else has the same issues. I am hoping it is just an eye infection.

Hi Sue, I got too nervous waiting. I was so happy to get these little Porcelain Booted Bantams that I just couldn't wait it out. I really would rather not use antibiotics but considering how rare these little guys are and from such good stock I really didn't want to chance it. I broke out the Tylan today and started treating them. They have been moved into special quarters with a heat lamp as well. They seemed a little huddled up today and so it was decided (thanks coffee girls) that they needed TLC and the big gun medicine. I know many (including myself) would rather breed for resistance but I got thinking ... can't breed a dead bird ... I also found a source for the colloidal silver and will be picking it up tomorrow.


XOX Monika

Island Girl, no comments for you about the eyes, but I did the search and found my post on how to make the colloidal silver generator. So simple. I bet you paid upwards between $15 to $20 at the health food store for 750 ml (the price varies so much from place to place). I have helped people to make this unit, it is so simple...and wish that the world would make their own and do it for only pennies per litre, seriously.....look and learn and do it yourself. Colloidal silver is a powerful, powerful healing agent. Burns in particular come to mind. I should make a post about burns and honey and this water with silver molecules within it....miracles. Hope this link to this thread about the colloidal silver water generator is helpful. Have a beautiful day, CynthiaM.

https://wcps.canadian-forum.com/t2592-obsessive-yes-i-am-colloidal-silver-water-2-pictures?highlight=colloidal

Thank you Cynthia, that was very good of you to post the link. I will get hubby to build one for me, he likes building that kind of stuff. I did want the Colloidal Silver for today though so I had called around and found a fairly good sized bottle of it for $12 and so I purchased it. I went out to administer the drops this afternoon and Lo and Behold there was my Porcelain Booted Bantam staring back at me with 2 open eyes Him and his buddy got the treatment anyhow but I think it must have been the Tylan that helped, I dunno, does it work that fast?? I am so pleased and will continue with the drops and the Tylan for a few more days. Thanks you everyone for your suggestions and help!

XOX Monika

Don't worry, I don't shy away from antibiotics when needed! However, there was no other symptom of a disease to I decided to treat it topically. Good news! Both eyes are open and the little girl is looking MUCH better.

Monika, excellent news about the healed eye problem! I have heard that Tylan can work wonders in a couple of days. Unfortunately, it is pretty much impossible to get my hands on any in this part of the universe (Thompson/Okanagan area of BC). I had a turkey poult with sinus problems this spring and tried vet offices from Kamloops to Vernon. None of them had it in stock, many had no idea about anything to do with poultry at all (one told me to phone the local feed store), and one said they could order it in, it would take a week, and meanwhile they would have to come out and see my farm before selling it to me (can just imagine the bill for that one)!

Glad that your girl is doing so well Sue. I guess I will always wonder if it was just the drops that made the difference but glad I started the Tylan all the same. I will continue the full course of Tylan to avoid resistance to it and use CS as well. Please keep us posted about how she is doing also wondering how long you plan to use drops.

XOX Monika

calliope wrote:Monika, excellent news about the healed eye problem! I have heard that Tylan can work wonders in a couple of days. Unfortunately, it is pretty much impossible to get my hands on any in this part of the universe (Thompson/Okanagan area of BC). I had a turkey poult with sinus problems this spring and tried vet offices from Kamloops to Vernon. None of them had it in stock, many had no idea about anything to do with poultry at all (one told me to phone the local feed store), and one said they could order it in, it would take a week, and meanwhile they would have to come out and see my farm before selling it to me (can just imagine the bill for that one)!

Thanks Calliope, I had a dear friend send me the Tylan and it is $$$$. Then I split the supply/cost with another local friend to make it more affordable. I wonder if it is something that can be purchased on-line. Maybe others could chime in to tell us where they get their Tylan from. Wouldn't want to be without in these rare cases where one just doesn't want to take any chances.

XOX Monika

Island Girl wrote:
I had a dear friend send me the Tylan and it is $$$$. Then I split the supply/cost with another local friend to make it more affordable. I wonder if it is something that can be purchased on-line. Maybe others could chime in to tell us where they get their Tylan from. Wouldn't want to be without in these rare cases where one just doesn't want to take any chances.

XOX Monika

That's awesome. I was thinking of asking if anyone in Alberta could mail some to me and I could pay them with Interac money transfer. It seems like Alberta is a lot more farmer friendly than BC is! I would love to have it on hand next time!

Calliope, when we lived back on the coast, (up here now 2.4 years), I used to go to a Pharmasave in Cloverdale. They had everything under the sun for poultry and livestock medications. They even sold Eprinex. That is where I got my Tylan from originally. I don't have any now. The drug had an expiration date on it and I did not keep it. I don't know if expiration dates are "true" or not, but just figured if I ever needed it I would get it again. Why don't you see if you can call them and see if they ship product? Just a thought. I also know that Chicory Farm gets it from her vet, which is near where she lives, Nelson area...I don't know why it is not commonly around, and I think that stinks that the vet clinic said that you had to have a "farm visit" for them to dispense it. Crap eh? Come on, its chickens. Maybe they thought you might have had something awful there that they needed to investigate. Come on.....really? Anyways, just some thoughts. Some more thoughts.

If someone could get hold of tylan in our area, I bet you could find a few of us that would be willing to split the costs and split the product. A little bit goes a long ways and the cost of sending an envelope with a little powder in it is less than a dollar, smiling. Just some thoughts. Glad to hear that the birds' eyes are bettering. Have that beautiful day, CynthiaM.

I think that I heard that Texas has big stuff

Thanks, CynthiaM, forgot you had said that about the Pharmasave. I just emailed them from their website to ask if they could mail a package of Tylan to me, so I'll let you know what they say.

Sadly most small animal vets dont use tylan anymore becuse there are better products on the market now.

We can order it in injectable and powder form. You could always ask you vet if you are on good terms for Baytril. Its potent but more readly available. Please no one shoot me!

They probably asked for a farm visit because technically it is prescription medication ( the pharmasave should be requesting a prescription from a veterinarian but they dont its their strange loophole that makes getting drugs so great). In order for a vet to "dispense" medication they have to be confidenent that they have a client/patient relationship in order. They would just want to make sure you actually have the animals in question blah blah. Its written into the BCVMA code of conduct. Thats why if you walk into the vet and say can I have the same ear drops I had 3 years ago but the dog has not had an exam in 3 years the most likely answer is nope not without an exam. And although some of you might jump saying the vets just want to make money in fact if it is not a simple ear infection some medications could do more harm then good. Its insurance for them if something goes bad. Same with the tylan.

Sorry for the rant. I bet the pharmasave will help they are pretty good about that stuff.

Ok I really shoudn't say this but... You can ask the vet for Tylan and say you have turkeys with sinusitis. It is not a prescription drug for turkeys. Other birds, it is.

Here is a site in the US that will ship it to you.
http://www.jefferslivestock.com/tylan-soluble-powder/camid/LIV/cp/E1-T9/

calliope wrote:Thanks, CynthiaM, forgot you had said that about the Pharmasave. I just emailed them from their website to ask if they could mail a package of Tylan to me, so I'll let you know what they say.

Well???