[bigdavenorcott]

Hi all - first time posting, but I've used the site a lot - I hope you can help me make a decision. I'm pretty new at this chicken game, we've had 4 hens since the spring - more as pets that lay eggs than just for the eggs, as we've got a couple of young children that love them. Apologies for the length of the post!

Anyway, to cut to the chase - one of the hens developed an eye problem 2 weeks ago - very swollen (like a marble size) and leaking clear fluid. You couldn't see the eye itself, just lids. Took it to the vets who wasn't sure what the problem was, but gave me a 10-day course of antibiotics and asked me to bring it back if the swelling reduced so he could see what was going on.

After a week or so on the ABs the thing went down overnight, I think something burst rather than went down gradually (I should say at this point that the chicken has been behaving fairly normally all along, eating OK and seeming happy enough). Now I can get a look I see there is no eye there, just some yellow bits - yuck. Looks like probably pus in what was the eyeball.

Took her back to the vets, who suggested 2 options - keep her on antibiotics and hope it sorts itself out; or operate and remove the eye. The latter I would judge to have a considerably better chance of success, but obviously still risky.

The operation would be £150. Now I don't want to seem tight, but I've already spend £50 at the vets, and we're not particularly well off! I'm just not sure what to do for the best. I feel responsible for the hen's wellbeing, naturally - and she's also my son's favourite (had to be didn't it). But if I drop £200 for a chicken the first time one gets ill, what happens in the future? I can't keep doing that often or we'll be looking at 10 quid an egg.

I guess I'm after 2 things - any tips on what the eye thing might be (I've done a lot of googling but there seem to be so many things that cause eye problems), and advice on what I should do.

By the way, her name is Cow (my son named them all  )

Thanks a lot, Dave

[kegs]

That's a lot of money, and I can understand you don't want to upset your son, but I'll be brave and go first and say that if it were me I'd keep the chicken on the antibiotics and keep my fingers crossed rather than go for the operation.

As for what caused it is anyone's guess especially if the chicken seems otherwise fit and well.  Does this chicken get picked on by the others (I'm wondering whether one of the others pecked its eye?)  Good luck with your decision.

[bigdavenorcott]

Thanks a lot Kegs, I'm leaning that way myself. She doesn't get picked on much, but she is definitely the loner of the group, has always been a bit of an outsider. My best guess would be a peck I think.

My only qualm is what if in another 10 days it's still the same? I don't want to just wring her neck if she seems well in herself otherwise, and we can't keep her on antibiotics forever (apart from anything else I'm having to throw all the eggs away as I don't know whose is whose; separating them would be very hard)

[kensington chicks]

I am with Kegs.  That is a lot of money.

She may respond well to anti-biotics, and the decision is taken away from you.

Regarding the eggs, could you put her in a little run of her  own with a temporary nest box and then you would know which egg was hers?  My OH did this when we had to seperate one of ours for a few days.  Also you would know that she is safe from the others having another peck if that is what has caused it?  Just a little wired off area would do.

Good luck whatever you decide, keeping hens is wonderful but also a responsibility.

KC x

[Aunt Sally]

My hen Emily (who now lives with Joyfull) was very ill with a blocked crop and a digestive infection.

It cost me £300 in vets bills to get her back to health and she's again a happy productive hen.  I would do the same for any loved pet hen, just as I would for a cat or dog. 

BUT for a hen which I considered "stock" - just for eggs or meat - I'd think it very extravagant.

[bigdavenorcott]

Thanks guys - Aunt Sally, I feel much the same, and she certainly isn't 'stock', but neither is she 100% just a pet. Money has to be a factor TBH, as we're pretty skint! I very much want her to be happy and healthy, and if she was obviously suffering I'd either get her into the operation or out of her misery as soon as possible. She seems pretty OK though, eating well, behaving normally, laying eggs and certainly puts up a good fight when I have to give her her medicine. What made it more difficult is that the vet was 50/50 about it too and wasn't sure what route to recommend.
I'm going to stick with the antibiotics, and will post what happens. Rest assured I won't let her suffer (she's my favourite too  )
Dave

[Aunt Sally]

Good luck with her.  Let us know how she gets on !

[pepsi100]

My Dad had a hen that had the same problem and the same sort of vet bill, in the end he just kept her seperate and washed the eye socket out with warm salt water twice a day

It did clear up, she was renamed Nelson, and he put her back with the rest after a month of living the high life in a cardboard box in the living room with a personal servant (my Dad)

She was still a loner, but stuck up for her self after (unless they came up on her blind side,) she would occasionally lay an egg, but she went on to live for another 4 years, then she just keeled over

She wasnt even very good looking, but she had character that my Dad liked (daft old sod)

I can only say the choice is yours, I dont really know what I would do, thats the problem when you give em names, they are part of the family (none of mine have names)

[bigdavenorcott]

Thanks Pepsi - I forgot to mention I've been washing the eye out too (contact lens solution is a handy source of saline and comes in convenient squirty bottles).

I think I might have to try and separate her, as I'm really missing being able to use the eggs! The pain is with it being so dark that they're not up when I leave in the morning and they're in bed when I get back (have an automatic door opener...best purchase ever!) - so it would mean separating part of their run off and finding something suitable for her to go to sleep in as well.

[pepsi100]

I get my eggs at anytime, Sometimes I just go out to check on them, I use a torch with a red lens, some use the poles to roost on, some prefer the floor, got one that likes a nesting box, only time their is any rucks is who gets to sit where on the poles (perch)

I dont know if you want to go to the cardboard box option, (it can be a nuisance I know, but its handy to get her to clean the wound (my Dad used an big egg box (the type for bulk sales) with a bit of wire over the top to stop her getting out, hung an apple to give her something to peck at)

[Chookiechook]

She may not have actually lost the eye..... hens can retract the eyeball back into their head some way!!  Weird or what

Keep on with the antibiotics and cleaning.....  and so long as she is happy then avoid the vets.... If she needs an op then in my opinion you should end it.... Not only is it a very risky op in a bird but she will be in considerable pain afterwards.... not to mention the money!!

I would never spend that on any of my chickens Im afraid.... They dont know that though!!

[Chicken_Lover]

Hope she's getting better

[OpiumEater]

When we got our hen, husband said if the bill costs more than a new hen, forget it. This was the advice from a friend who looks after livestock.

Well said friend spent three hundred on his now three legged cat who promptly moved in with the neighbours and we've spent over £100 on Alice after a fox attack.

Once they've got names and the children are attached your doomed. But I'd wash and anti-biotics, no operation.

Good luck 

[bigdavenorcott]

Sorry to say it didn't end well 
I separated part of the run off for her and built her some accommodation, kept on with the antibiotics and rinsing, but yesterday her eye (or yellow blob) was very swollen again and even worse today (like the size of a marble, and looked more like a tumor than a swelling, lumpy and irregular). It was a very difficult and upsetting call to make, not least because she *seemed* fairly OK in herself (at least was still eating), but I decided since it was getting worse despite everything and she really *must* have been in considerable discomfort that it was best not to prolong things.
I agonised over it a long but rather than take her to the vet I dealt with it myself, I felt it was my responsibility - and it seemed crazy to refuse £150 to try and save her and then spend £40 on putting her down. I did a lot of research first and I'm happy to say that I did at least do a pretty good job of that (well, not happy but you know what I mean). Must admit I cried like a baby beforehand though 
Sorry for the bad news guys but I wanted to let you know what happened, want you to know that I really appreciated the advice.
Dave

[joyfull]

so sorry Dave, but you probably did the kindest thing for your girl that you could. Knowing that doesn't make it any easier though