Bumble Foot on my Chickens Head!?!?

[my7luus]

Hi
a few weeks ago I noticed a huge bump on my Barred Rocks head. I looked just like it was bumble foot (It had a scab/piece of dirt on it, was swelled etc.) but just not on her foot. Before this I had read quite a lot about bumble foot and how you can remove it at home. So I tried this and in the pictures of the surgery the inside of the foot looks very hard and stiff and the "Kernel" (or the scab) on the foot can just cut around and removed. I tried scraping off the scab which opened up the wound but inside the bump was filled with brownish gray fluid with the consistency of melted ice cream. It smelled horrible like a bunch of chicken poop was just stuffed into her head and left there. I scraped almost all of the grey stuff out and now there is just a huge pocket on the side of her head. I did wrap some gaze and medical tape around her head, but I'm not sure what to do now. Please Help!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you post a picture of the abscess or lesion? Could it be from a peck wound or injury, or possibly the swelling of a sinus around the eye, ear, or cheek that could be connected to a respiratory disease? The picture may help. I wound make sure that all of the infection is out, the clean the wound with betadine or peroxide just once, and apply neospin ointment. Clean it daily and keep the antibiotic ointment on it. Antibiotics might help. Does she have any runny nose or eyes, or a cough or sneeze? The bad odor could be just an abscess, but I would also worry about coryza if it is from a respiratory infection.

 

[my7luus]

Thank you for the speedy reply!!! I don't think it is respiratory or a peck wound because its not very close to her nose and there wasn't any blood on her skin when I discovered the abscess. I'm new at keeping chickens so please keep asking as many questions as you want.

These pictures are from the day after I removed the fluid from Checkers (11/5/14) and the swelling has gone down slightly. Also the fluid has changed colors slightly it was grey and now it is yellowish.


***Warning these images are Graphic!***



The Right side of Checkers's head (The abscess is on the other side)

Left side (the abscess is on this side)

The abscess with some of yellowy fluid in it

Abscess with flash on

All bandaged up! She also has a skin problem but she was attacked by a fox so I think thats why its there. She also has an underbite because of the fox as well but she seems fine and has been eating and drinking normally.

Also the reason her feathers are so glossy and stuck together are that I put some vaseline on her skin. Normally her feathers are dry and normal.

Thank you for taking the time to read this! I hope Checkers feels better soon!

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes that is an abscess probably from a puncture bite, but she also has an abscess on her right ear. I would definitely get her on some antibiotics. The ones from a vet would be best if your vet would give you some for an abscess, but if you have to buy one from a feed store, Procaine Penicillin G injectable, Gallimycin powder, or oxytetracycline in the water would be good possibilities.

 

[my7luus]

Thank you so much!!! Checkers probably would have died if you hadn't help me out!!
I was wondering if the abscess on her right ear is her ear? Because she has one just like it on the other side (I can give you a picture of that if you want) and if it is another abscess will the antibiotics work for that as well? Also Which antibiotics do you think is best for her? I don't have an avian vet near me so I will have to buy some at the feed store.
Thanks in advance!

 

[mrsc1951]

Yes that is an abscess probably from a puncture bite, but she also has an abscess on her right ear. I would definitely get her on some antibiotics. The ones from a vet would be best if your vet would give you some for an abscess, but if you have to buy one from a feed store, Procaine Penicillin G injectable, Gallimycin powder, or oxytetracycline in the water would be good possibilities.

If you have a regular vet for other pets, it doesn't hurt to call and ask. Otherwise try the antibiotics Eggcessive listed - most available a local feed stores, TSC or Rural King. I would also clean out the abscess on the right side of her head/ear. Removing the localized infection can help in recovery.

 

[my7luus]

Thank you!! Do you have any ideas on how I could clean out the small abscess on her ear? Using what kind of tool? Also she has these holes in exactly the same spot on both sides of her head. Do you think its just a coincidence? or she has deformed ears?? I have no idea . . .

 

[Eggcessive]

Is the abscess hole where the ear canal is? I would try to get some Clavamox or Bactrim from your vet (or whatever they suggest.) Here are 3 good threads about cleaning an infection out of an ear, and especially read Dawg53's advice in the first 2 links:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/630778/gunky-ears
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/767500/ear-infection
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/831156/really-nasty-ear-infection-in-a-silkie-hen-graphic-pics