Help...my chicken has conjunctivitis

I went to put the chicks away last night and one of the cockerels was sitting in the corner of the run looking very sorry for himself, on closer inspection his right eye was shut together and his left was really gunky!!  I bathed then a couple of times during the evening and called a vet friend who has suggested I go to the chemists and get some human optrex with antibiotic and treat him with this, unfortunately she lives to far away to be my vet so I can not show her "Charlie", does anyone have any suggestions and have they heard of this before??  In himself he seems ok, i have brought him indoors and he is eating alright especially if it's mealworms!! Thanks Emma

I agree with Joyful.

I have treated conjunctivitis successfully in horses on several occasions with a mild solution of salt water.

Thank you so much for your help and comments!  

Although i have had a few chickens for about 7 years now I have been really really lucky with health and the minute I saw a problem I panicked    


I have been washing out his eyes every two hours and putting in drops - could not get an appointment with the "vet that knows about chickens"!!  His eye's seem to be a bit better today and we have an appointment on Monday, he's not eating or drinking much as he has trouble seeing what to peck at however when I put a tub of mealworms in he seems to be able to find them ok - coincidence I'm sure!!!

Thanks again as I'm loving reading about everyone's love of chickens and enjoyment - makes me feel almost "normal"

Emma xx

My Orp had a gunky eye a while ago, which turnd out to be part of a mild respiratory infection. In the days before we took her to the vets we (well, Mum did it!) cleaned out the eye with lukewarm saltwater. The vet gave us some eye drops (1-2 drops in each eye twice a day) and some oral medication which we put in the food for her and her sister. Hope your chicken recovers well