My chicken's eye is infected. How do I stop her from scratching it?

Poor Peach! You can try to make a makeshift e-collar out of a paper plate to fashion around and prevent her from scratching at the wound if she is making it worse. or trim her toenails down some to make them less likely to worsen the wound. Treating the wound by keeping it cleaned with a washcloth and keeping the area dry can also help it heal. If it's very bothersome and she is scratching a lot, it is worsening, or it appears infected, bring her to a vet to have it treated is best so that it can heal more quickly.

In adult chickens, "wry neck", can be caused by infection, trauma or poor diet. Hen pecking can cause trauma and infection. A poor diet results in a vitamin deficiency, usually E, B1, D or a combination. Have her examined by a vet experienced in treating domestic fowl. Separate her from the flock for now. Feed a fortified chicken feed. Vitamin E should be given daily. Give with the mineral selenium to enhance absorption. Vit B can be mixed in with food or water. Infection should be confirmed and treated with the appropriate antibiotic if indicated.

She is definitely in need of an examination by a veterinarian to assess the situation more carefully. Based on the information you've provided, it sounds like she could have some sort of upper respiratory infection, as these often can cause the eyes to crust up and shut completely. Antibiotics and anti inflammatory medication are usually the best bets for this sort of ailment. However, first things first, you'll need to have someone take a look at her to make sure there isn't a primary ocular issue going on instead. Hope this makes sense.

It could be a touch of conjunctivitis but usually swollen eyes are the first sign of Mycoplasma infection which also cause respiratory problems. They will always have Mycoplasma and stress will trigger it, but the first instance is usually the worst. Even if you don't have a vet who will see chickens you could ring them to get a dose of antibiotic such as baytril which will help in early stages.

Thanks for reaching out about Muffy and including a photo. Swollen faces can due to sinus infections, several viral diseases such as pox, or contusions. A veterinary visit is highly recommended as this can spread to others. Isolation of all chickens with clinical signs might help limit the spread. Continue to clean the face and eyes, monitor appetite. Control of biting insects such mites, fleas or mosquitos might limit spread also. Good luck.

The pictures attached are very small, so it is hard to tell what is going on, however judging by the color change and flaking there could be a few possibilities. Some parasites and mites can affected the skin and may cause irritation or flaking. Skin issues such as fungal growths, burns from the sun, chemicals, etc, or even bacterial infections may also cause flaking, irritation and discharge to appear in the affected area. Nutritional issues, or injuries from other birds may also cause wounds or irritation that could then become infected. Treating for any parasites, and keeping the area clean and free of debris may help, as well as applying a topical medication to treat any potential infection. You may also want to remove him from the flock for a few days to avoid other birds picking on it and making the area worse. If it doesn't improve, or worsens, having a vet take a look in person is best.

Hello. If you can keep her indoors, that would be best. You could also start her on an antibiotic made for poultry available at your feed coop. Other than that, make sure she eats & drinks, & if the foot gets worse or does not seem to be healing, please consider having her seen by your veterinarian. This can cause your hen quite a bit of pain & she may need medication to help. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.