LynneA
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Hen with watery eyesDOur Light Sussex hen has suddenly started having watery eyes.
She was fine when we let her out, but a short while ago, I notice she was holding her beak slightly open, and that her right eye was "bubbly".
We picked her up and I cleaned some dirt out of the eye, but shortly after both eyes were watering and there was a swelling in front of the right eye.
Her stance is normal, but she's not charging towards food in her usual manner. The other 3 all look fine.
We cleaned the run and added a layer of wood shavings this morning.
What is it and what should we do?
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Chez
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My poultry diseases book says that apart from foreign bodies (which are unusual) the eyes can be effected by conjunctivitis if there's a lot of ammonia in the house - and if you have cleaned the house and run that should solve itself if it was that.
The only time I have come across these symptoms is when associated with Mycoplasma - it tends to be sort of soapy bubbles and sometimes, a respiratory rattle and/or sneezes. Did you get them all from the same place and how long have you had them in together? Some might have been carriers and have passed it to the one with symptoms. If that is what it is it tend to come out under stress.
You can get antibiotics called 'tylan soluble' or 'baytril' and something else I can't remember that will help. Also there is something called 'herban' which is supposed to be a non-antibiotic alternative; it's available from interhatch.
It's the fact that it's gone in to both eyes that makes me wonder if that is what it is; if it was just dirt in the eye, then it wouldn't have  .
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LynneA
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She seems to have recovered already, but there's a scratch next to her beak. I suspect Rita the Araucana biffed her fighting over food again.
But I'll keep an eye on them all.
Can they catch human colds?
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Chez
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I don't know about human colds - but they do get chicken colds. Cider vinegar and a clove of crushed garlic in the water is supposed to help their immune systems; and the vinegar keeps the water fresh. I draw the line at giving them echinacea and vitamin c 
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