Hen Has Eye Problem, Help!

[barberfamducks]

One of our four hens suddenly today has an odd white film on her pupil. She is a blue laced red wyandotte and she will be a year old in May. She has been an extremely healthy and productive hen, and this eye problem doesn't seem to affect her at all. But it is worrying my family and I.

The problem arose around noon today, suddenly, and we tried eye drops two times (one then and one about ten minutes ago) and no effect. She can still see out of it and there is no swelling nor blood. We free range our hens, but they most often stay around the house, and there aren't any low hanging branches or sharp pointed objects. All our hens are extremely friendly to everyone and everything so pecking and such couldn't be the cause. This is my first time keeping a flock and I am lost. Please help! Any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[Eggcessive]

I am not an expert on eye problems, but it looks like a cataract. Cataracts can form after eye infection, injury, or after having avian encephalomyelitis as a chick. There is a good link to Google which is called " Eye disorders in poultry" from University of Florida.

 

[barberfamducks]

I am not an expert on eye problems, but it looks like a cataract. Cataracts can form after eye infection, injury, or after having avian encephalomyelitis as a chick. There is a good link to Google which is called " Eye disorders in poultry" from University of Florida.

Thank you! And I really hope it's not a cataract because from what I've read cataracts can tend to be genetic and we have another blue laced red wyandotte which is this one's sister! I am just worried sick for my little baby and unfortunately can't afford a vet at this time.

 

[justplainbatty]

Thank you! And I really hope it's not a cataract because from what I've read cataracts can tend to be genetic and we have another blue laced red wyandotte which is this one's sister! I am just worried sick for my little baby and unfortunately can't afford a vet at this time.

If it's cataracts there's nothing to be done anyway. The only thing you may notice is that she will be inaccurate pecking at little pieces of food, and startle easy from the right side. You can help her eat better by putting food in a deeper container so she always gets what's there.

 

[barberfamducks]

If it's cataracts there's nothing to be done anyway. The only thing you may notice is that she will be inaccurate pecking at little pieces of food, and startle easy from the right side. You can help her eat better by putting food in a deeper container so she always gets what's there.

Thank you! We already pamper our birds so accommodating to her vision loss would be no problem

It just seems extremely odd because we let them out of their coop at 7am and then out of their run at 8am and I didn't see anything wrong with her eye. Then at about noon I sat outside with them and noticed she had an odd white eye so I picked her up and noticed it. I check all my birds at least once a day for leg/wing/eye/beak/comb problems (I'm a cautious person and my birds are my life

) and didn't notice any clouding. And then tonight she was the first one in the coop even with little light. I'm just stumped

 

[justplainbatty]

Thank you! We already pamper our birds so accommodating to her vision loss would be no problem

It just seems extremely odd because we let them out of their coop at 7am and then out of their run at 8am and I didn't see anything wrong with her eye. Then at about noon I sat outside with them and noticed she had an odd white eye so I picked her up and noticed it. I check all my birds at least once a day for leg/wing/eye/beak/comb problems (I'm a cautious person and my birds are my life

) and didn't notice any clouding. And then tonight she was the first one in the coop even with little light. I'm just stumped

It could even be a retinal detachment. Cataracts are hard to see when they first start, you did nothing wrong. I check my birds every night too. I check crops, eyes, beaks, vents, abdomens, backs, combs, wattles. I wait until they all settle and are quiet, in case they are scratching too much like they have bugs or not breathing right. If anyone poops then, I look at it and through it. people think I'm nuts but I don't care! I love my birds!

 

[barberfamducks]

Update on my hen! We gave her eye drops last night again before we locked them up and this morning we let them out and... NO EYE PROBLEM!

I'm still not sure what exactly it was, but I'm keeping a close eye on her and making sure she is healthy and fine. We are so extremely relieved and thank you so much to everyone that helped!

 

[justplainbatty]

Update on my hen! We gave her eye drops last night again before we locked them up and this morning we let them out and... NO EYE PROBLEM!

I'm still not sure what exactly it was, but I'm keeping a close eye on her and making sure she is healthy and fine. We are so extremely relieved and thank you so much to everyone that helped!

Wow! No kidding? So glad we got it wrong! Maybe she just got some crud in her eye, lucky break!

 

[barberfamducks]

Two weeks later and she is perfectly fine! Must've just been crud. Thank you for all your help!

 

[justplainbatty]

Two weeks later and she is perfectly fine! Must've just been crud. Thank you for all your help!

That's great! I wonder if it was her third eyelid and it dried out and wrinkled. That's the only way you would probably ever see that lid. Now it is re-hydrated, hope it keeps working like it should!