My bantam mommy is sick :(

[LaynaDon95]

My parents and I were out building a nice, big run for our flock since we've had so many predator problems recently. I noticed my bantam hen and her "baby" (who's now bigger than she is) standing nearby, but Mommy Hen was not acting right. I looked closer and the entire left side of her face was swollen and her comb and wattles were pale pink and scabby. I've had problems with yellow jackets attacking babies but never adult chickens, but I thought they might be part of the problem. I caught her up (which was WAY too easy) and brought her inside. I gave her a little benedryl to help with the swelling and separated her and her baby with plenty of food and water with electrolytes in it. I also gave them some yogurt.
But that was yesterday ad she hasn't perked up at all. She's so droopy and sad looking. She did have a dog take her other baby a few days ago, so maybe she's depressed? But I know there's something else wrong too. Her poop is good and she's eating and drinking (though not enough). I'm keeping enough benedryl in her to keep the swelling down. Any ideas? How else can I help her? She's my best mommy (besides my silkie) and I don't want to lose her.

 

[Wyandottes7]

Could you post a picture? Your description sounds like it could be Fowl Pox. Does it look anything like pictures at this link:https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/690442/is-this-fowl-pox. This is just one example of what Fowl Pox can look like, as it varies depending on its severity.

Fowl Pox is a disease caused by a virus (it is not related to Chicken Pox in humans). Fowl Pox does not have a treatment, and runs its course in about three weeks. It isn't usually deadly in the dry form, which your bird appears to have. However, it can be deadly if it progresses to the wet form, which causes lesions and scabs in the throat as well.

Keep infected birds isolated for the others. The main carriers of Fowl Pox are mosiquitoes, flies, and other flying insects. To reduce the spread of the disease, treat your chicken area for flying insects. This will eliminate most of the carriers.

Keep infected birds as stress-free as possible to prevent a secondary bacterial infection. Give electrolytes and probiotics, and make sure that they eats and drinks. You might want to put them on a course of antibiotics. Oxytetracycline like Duramycin, Terramycin, and Tetroxy HCA-280 is a good antibiotic, as it is broad-spectrum. Make sure that you don't give probiotics, yogurt, apple cider vinegar, or other dairy products while using antibiotics, as they will interfere with the success of the antibiotics.

To help the scabs go away, put some iodine on them. You can also put some petroleum jelly on to soften the scabs and make her more comfortable.

Birds that recover from Fowl Pox will be immune, but can still pass the disease to others. To prevent Fowl Pox in the future, you might want to vaccinate. The Fowl Pox vaccine is relatively easy to find, and easy to give. You can buy it at http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies....d34279a8d4fc77a34e81&keyword=fowl+pox+vaccine.

Hope this helps! A picture will help confirm the diagnosis.

 

[LaynaDon95]

I've been trying to post pictures but my computer is being so glitchy right now I can't. I will ASAP.
She had fowl pox last year. (or early this year?) The whole flock did. She can't have it again, right? But it never made them this sick. It didn't seem to bother them at all to be perfectly honest, except the 2 girls that had scabs form over their eyes. She's lethargic and droopy. Her wings sometimes hang down, not tucked up like usual, but mostly she stands with her head tucked under her wing.
Another thing, her baby is showing no sign of fowl pox and he wasn't born when the flock got it. If she had it surely she would have passed it on to him by now.
She and her baby are tucked in for the night. It's been rainy and gusty here so they are in the house in a large kennel. She gets cold really easily right now, another reason I'm concerned. I had to pull her in this morning and use a blow dryer on low to warm her up. She didn't get wet hardly at all, but just the wind chill made her cold to the touch. She loved the blow dryer though. Happiest chicken I ever saw.

I appreciate the quick response!

 

[LaynaDon95]

And here's some pictures!

 

[Eggcessive]

I can't tell what is causing the skin problem, but it looks like some respiratory disease with swollen face--maybe mycoplasma or coryza. Could the flakey skin be dried secretions? It doesn't resemble favus or pox, so that is a mystery. It would be good to get her on some Tylan 50, 1/4 ml daily by mouth, or on some oxytetracycline. The chicks may need to be treated. Post more pics if she changes.

 

[Wyandottes7]

I can't tell what is causing the skin problem, but it looks like some respiratory disease with swollen face--maybe mycoplasma or coryza. Could the flakey skin be dried secretions? It doesn't resemble favus or pox, so that is a mystery. It would be good to get her on some Tylan 50, 1/4 ml daily by mouth, or on some oxytetracycline. The chicks may need to be treated. Post more pics if she changes.

X2

 

[LaynaDon95]

I don't know. Neither of those really add up to the signs she's showing so far. No discharge, bubbles, bad smells, sneezes, rattles, weird poo etc. Just swollen eye, wattle, and lethargy (which could be because of the benedryl. She wasn't this lazy until after I gave it to her. I'm gonna stop giving it to her for a bit and see what happens.) But only one side of her face and one wattle are showing any signs of something wrong. If it were a respiratory illness wouldn't both sides of her face be affected? I just inspected further and she might have an infection in her wattle. It's hard to tell because it's so scabbed over. That could explain the swollen eye and as far as the scabs on her eye and comb, she's apparently been scratching her face. I've walked in several times to find her clawing away at her eye, trying to figure out why she can't see out of it.
I still have her in the house, but I kicked her "baby" out after I walked in on him pecking at her eye. I have garlic and comfrey in her water. Her comb is just so light. I was thinking about picking up a little blood builder for her from TSC. Would that be a good idea? She's a bit underweight and not eating enough to make her crop full, but I think it's because she can't stay awake long enough to get a good meal in. She was eating fine before the benedryl. So I'm definitely taking her off the benedryl at least for a while until I know if it's the benedryl causing it or if she's just gotten sicker.
I will look at the Tylan 50 too. I need to keep it on hand anyway. I really don't want to lose this girl.

 

[LaynaDon95]

Well, she's still kickin'. I really thought I was gonna lose her a few days ago, but she's perked up. I can't get her to eat anything other than softened dog food. (Thankfully my dog eats a really good quality food, with just fish, veggies and vitamins, so I don't feel bad about feeding it to her.) I mixed some softened laying pellets in with it this morning to trick her into eating some, which is working. But she's still not eating enough. I have to pull her out of her nest and make her stay out to eat to know that she's gotten enough.
However, her color has mostly returned, the swelling has gone down significantly, and the scabs have all fallen off to reveal fresh, healthy skin. Still no sign of respiratory illness like sneezing, discharge, bubbles, etc. Her left eye can open almost all the way and she isn't scratching nearly as much.
So we'll see how she does from here.

 

[LaynaDon95]

I lost her a few day ago. She seems to be improving, and then all of a sudden she lost all her color and began rattling when she breathed. She died the next morning.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry for your loss. Be on the lookout for any respiratory signs in your other chickens, especially the baby.