Growth on chick's eye lid!?

Ben n Deb · **Posted:** Mon Nov 15, 2010 10:01 pm

Can someone please tell me what is wrong with my chicks eye lid, and how I can fix it.

It doesn't seem to be bothering it, but is getting a bit bigger every day.

It is between 1-2 weeks old.

Thanks.

parvo · **Joined:** Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:39 pm **Posts:** 735

It looks like poxvirus. Is that a scab starting on the base of the lower right side of the beak?

Is there any evidence of pox in any of the other birds, chicks or adults? Is this a chick you hatched yourself, or one you've brought in?

Chicks get it sometimes through handling when it is accidentally carried on peoples hands, but the usual cause is mosquito bites from infected mosquitos.

There's not much you can do to treat it except for ensuring the bird is well fed and not stressed. Rubbing an eye ointment may help to soften the crust.

However, the chick could potentially act as a source of infection for other chicks, so should be separated from the others.

It'll be interesting to see if other agree or not.

Ben n Deb · **Posted:** Tue Nov 16, 2010 10:17 am

Hi Parvo.

I've only seen it on this one before.

We were given some eggs from a friend which we hatched under a duck. Two chicks hatched. This one and one more.

The other chick doesn't seem to be showing any symptoms yet. how high are the chances of poxvirus being passed on? If i separate it, will it get better eventually, or worse?

We have heaps of mosquitoes here, so it would be quite easy for him to have gotten it from them.

Will have to do an internet search for it.

Does anyone know any good websites I might look at to see some more pictures?

Thanks again.

Ben n Deb · **Posted:** Fri Nov 19, 2010 4:13 pm

Hi everyone!

Does anyone have anything to add to what Parvo said?

The growth has grown a little.

What type of ointment would you suggest might help? Any other ideas?

Cheers,

Deb

parvo · **Joined:** Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:39 pm **Posts:** 735

Hi Deb,

You could try an iodine- based ointment eg betadine or aloe vera- either straight from the plant or a bought gel.

Either way be careful that none gets into the eye.

Just remember that the cause is a virus so the bird needs to get over it itself. Just make sure that it gets good food, is kept clean and try to keep mosquitoes away ie don't leave puddles lying around in buckets etc where mozzies can breed.

Hope this helps.

Ben n Deb · **Posted:** Sat Nov 20, 2010 10:22 pm

Hi Parvo.

Thanks for that. I just wasn't sure if it was something that they would get over.

I've got heaps of aloe vera plant, so can try that tomorrow.

As for the mozzies, well, we live in Townsville, and it is the start of our wet season, so the little pests abound no matter what we do, tho we do have traps around.

I also have colloidal silver. Would it be worth putting a few drops into their water? All it does is help assist the immune system.

Cheers.

parvo · **Joined:** Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:39 pm **Posts:** 735

Worth a try if you think it will help.
Stimulating its immune system is exactly what it needs.
Whether it recovers or not depends on whether the eye lesion is severe enough to stop it from seeing its food, and also on the strain of poxvirus involved nad the chick's immunity.

Fingers crossed !

chooks with looks · **Joined:** Fri Nov 05, 2010 6:58 am **Posts:** 2

parvo wrote:

Worth a try if you think it will help.
Stimulating its immune system is exactly what it needs.
Whether it recovers or not depends on whether the eye lesion is severe enough to stop it from seeing its food, and also on the strain of poxvirus involved nad the chick's immunity.

Fingers crossed !

I have successfully treated fowl pox (both wet and dry)with a mixture of garli,and Gotu Kola.Imix the combination with callendula cream for the lesion,and feed a teaspoon of the mixture mixed with some slippery elm ,daily to the affected chook.
I find this mixture also helps the symptoms of coccie.

Ben n Deb · **Posted:** Tue Dec 14, 2010 2:49 pm

The chick is getting better!

The growth got so big that it's eye swelled shut, and I thought that that would be it for the little fella. However my husband never got time to put it down for me, so it stayed alive. Then after probably about 2-3 weeks, we noticed that the scab had fallen off! His eye was still stuck shut, but about 3 days later, it was open, and he seems to see fine out of it! He doesn't have any feathers where the scab was, but is happy and healthy.
The other chick that was in with him, started developing a growth under one eye too, but it never got as big as the first one, and has also fallen off.

We are very glad that they recovered. They were the only two out of a batch of eggs to hatch and it would have been sad to have lost them as well after all that.

Thanks again for all the comments!

parvo · **Joined:** Sat Jan 02, 2010 7:39 pm **Posts:** 735

That's great news Deb!

Nature has a wonderful way of helping things heal!

Hopefully by the time they're fully grown you won't even know they had a problem- enjoy them :-D

AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

Growth on chick's eye lid!?

Who is on the Forum