# Help Please! What happened to my hen's eye?!!



## The Monkey Mama (Mar 30, 2008)

I went out to the coop this morning to let my roo and his girls out for the day, and one of the girls, "Rainbow" our EE hen, had the whole side of her head swollen and the eye was swollen shut. 

The other side looks fine - but the left side is swollen and misshapen. I can't even tell if she still HAS her eye on that side? 

She was walking around, but not eating much and definitely acting like she didn't feel good. 

She had been over night in this "box" which is a 6x4 foot box that we lock the roo and his girls up in at night - it is very secure, nothing bigger than a mouse could have squeezed in there. 

What could do that to her? Could our roo have done it trying to cover her? [He has picked the other girls bald on their heads doing this, could he have missed and pecked out her eye? She is a fiesty one, not compliant to his attention, maybe he accidentally hurt her trying to hang on?]. 

Or could it be something else? 

Is there any infectious disease that would do that? 

What should I do to help her? She's one of our favorite hens, she's so spirited and full of personality. I am very sad - she looks just awful and it has to be painful. 

Any ideas/help?

Kelly


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

A pic would be helpful.
That way we could see if it is injury etc...
Between us all, we have seen a lot of chicken mishaps and someone may recognize.

But, let me ask you... are there feathers laying around too... signs of a struggle??
I am wondering about a weasel. A weasel loves to go for the face and only the face.
If I could see it, I could tell. I have dealt with some serious weasel carp before...

I sure am sorry. 
I would seperate her into the chicken hospital for awhile.. lots of water with a little ACV and honey.
Some honey on the wound as well... lots of soft and tempting foods and peace and quiet.
Let us know...


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## mr.breeze (May 23, 2009)

Perhaps a bee sting,just keep an eye on her through the day to see if she perks up.


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

Along with the bee sting and weasel thoughts, it could be she got pecked by one of the other birds..part of the pecking order thing. If one of the hens pecked at her, and happened to pick at her eye, it would swell up fast and big. (had one go through that..she lost the eye)

Sure doesn't sound like a disease, but keep an eye on everyone for any swellings showing up. I'd separate her and let her heal up. Feed yogurt, possibly scramble eggs if she'll eat them (high protein and fat). Cider vinegar or electrolytes in the water.


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## The Monkey Mama (Mar 30, 2008)

Thanks! I'll try to get a pic today to see if that helps. 

Meanwhile I'll start with the yogurt, scrambled eggs, ACV, etc. 

Thank you so much!

Kelly


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## The Monkey Mama (Mar 30, 2008)

OK, here's some pics of her to help with diagnosis:




























Here is what the other side of her head looks like - she's fine over there:










She has a little yogurt on her beak, we had tried to get her interested in eating the yogurt, but she wouldn't. 

I have looked very closely, and I can't determine if she still has her eye ball or not - if it is there it is very deeply buried in the inflammation. 

She's walking around, but not very energetic and not eating or drinking.  

So far I have separated her out into a small coop with just 2 other gentle chickens for company and I have given her yogurt, cayenne, and ACV in her water. 

Anything else I should be doing for her?

Kelly


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

You have a weasel, my dear.
Weasels sneak into your coop through small, small spaces. Teeny tiny.
They blind your birds by chewing off the faces.
Then they can eat the innards at leisure.
It sounds just awful and it is.
I had a weasel climb a sheer wall and slip through under a crack under the eaves.. 3 dead and 5 blinded.. I had to put those 5 down. That was one weasel and one night.

I could be wrong, but the damage looks the same.


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## The Monkey Mama (Mar 30, 2008)

Ugh! What do I do about a weasel?

Kelly


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## Jcran (Jan 4, 2006)

Where my daughter takes riding lessons, they were busy barricading the eaves and cracks on Friday with poultry netting because of a weasel eating the babies. We had a weasel get into our chicken tractor years ago and tear the neck apart on a bird; thankfully, we heard the commotion and got out there to save her. She lived, miraculously. Good luck!


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## chickenista (Mar 24, 2007)

Batton your hatches. Rat wire over any opening. Board over cracks under the door.
Rat wire over the openings under the eaves. Chicken wire is just not good enough unless it is 1-inch.


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## Elsbet (Apr 2, 2009)

oh, your poor girl! I'm so sorry.
It does look like weasel damage to me, too. I've also seen similar from raccoons, although they usually kill them outright. But if it couldn't get into the pen it might have grabbed her from the side.
I hope you catch the culprit quickly.


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## The Monkey Mama (Mar 30, 2008)

[This post repeated from above, not sure why]


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## Jcran (Jan 4, 2006)

A small live trap would catch it. Ok, I wouldn't hesitate to dispatch a raccoon or skunk. BUT, stupid stupid me, I love those fierce little weasels. They seem like lions in teeny bodies. Dumb, dumb, dumb, but I just can't help myself. I feel the same about badgers as well. Love 'em. Thankfully we haven't had weasel trouble in about 8 years, knock on wood.


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## The Monkey Mama (Mar 30, 2008)

Do you guys think she'll live? She's one of our more "pet" hens, it is gonna kill the kids if she doesn't make it.   

I think the eye is gone, but I'm hoping she'll live and just be our "one eyed hen". 

Kelly


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## waterpossum (Apr 19, 2009)

she will probably live but she will be more easy prey in the future. chickens can see extremely well with both eyes and there is not but a very small amount of blind spot that a chicken cant see which is right behind their head . Unlike people dogs or other such animals that have front facing eyes, one eye means you cut your eyesight down about a 1/3 not in half like a chicken maybe you can keep her in the house with you now!! i/m sure the kids would say ok and that would make a majority.


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## LittleRedHen (Apr 26, 2006)

It can be part of a chicken cold but I forget the more specific name. i had hens get swollen eyes (only one side) My friend treated hers with Terrycimin with good results. I did not treat mine as my whole flock had something more severe and it became a chest/respiratory thing and I had to cull my entire flock. Keep an eye on her, isolate her and watch the other girls. If another comes down with it then its probably the sickness as opposed to an injury. Though I hope your girls will all be fine!


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## Wisconsin Ann (Feb 27, 2007)

The hen I referred to in the previous post who had lost her eye did just fine with one eye. She learned quickly to stay near the coop, or to stay under the trees. She listened very intently when outside. She was much more alert to changes in surroundings than the other hens. She was always the first one to know I was coming with treats, too  

She's now happily laying eggs for a young family in Madison who's two daughters spoil her rotten


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