I have a little silke about a year old that starting developing a eye infection. The eye was swelled up to about twice its size. I got the swelling down with some eye ointment cream and bedadine mixture that I had from the vet from a previous goose that had a eye infection. But now the eye is developing a white gel like film over it. Is that natural or is there something else I need to medicate it??

-- Stacie (sonntagus@yahoo.comS), November 14, 2001

Answers

Hi Stacie, I would definately ask the vet about it if you do not like the idea of a blind chicken. I know I have read about birds getting infections and losing site afterwards. I have never experienced this in our flocks, but one old family dog had a cloudy blind eye. Sorry I can not be of more help. On the bright side, if it is only one eye, the chicken should still be able to function and have eggs and raise babies. Just do not expect it to free range as well, since it may not see danger.

-- notnow (notnow05@yahoo.com), November 15, 2001.

I had an Australorp in Texas that had an eye apparently put out by a badly placed peck. I worried at first about her quality of life with just one eye, but that spring she sat eggs and had the best time mothering those chicks. The eye problem never slowed her down.

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), November 15, 2001.