Bad swollen ear

[seminolewind]

My Valerie has a swollen or infected ear. Aside from Penicillin Injectable, what can I do?

 

[dawg53]

I'd gather my q-tips, tweezers, paper towels, hydrogen peroxide, neosporin etc...and go in there and find out what's going on.
It could be from a hard peck or some other type of injury.

 

[Michael Apple]

When you peeked under the ear flap, you saw a yellow, cheesy substance? Perhaps an exterior wound where some staphylococcus got in there?

 

[seminolewind]

Okay, so I should tweeze it? lance it?

Michael, funny you should say staph. Because I found 2 bumblefoots last night, still soft. My poor Valerie has gotten so many bumbles in her life that at one point she actually had an open hole healed in her foot. I fact this reminds me of a bumble in her ear.

I don't think Pen is the right thing for staph. What should I use?

 

[Michael Apple]

Okay, so I should tweeze it? lance it?

Michael, funny you should say staph. Because I found 2 bumblefoots last night, still soft. My poor Valerie has gotten so many bumbles in her life that at one point she actually had an open hole healed in her foot.

I don't think Pen is the right thing for staph. What should I use?

Not lance the ear. You'll have to gently pick the gunk out with tweezers or swab it out with a q-tip like in that link Dawgger sent you.

Penicillin works well for staph. I used to keep an ointment called Staphoseptic on hand that is similar to Neosporin. You might want to check that out and see if your local drug store carries it. It beats the heck out of Pen-G injections. The problem with dang bumblefoot wounds is they need protective bandaging or softened roosts by wrapping soft rags around them. I use very thick layers of shavings, as it seems as though heavy breeds are more susceptible jumping down off roosts. Trolling around in thistles or blackberries isn't good either.

 

[seminolewind]

Okay, I'll go grab her and get to it

 

[Michael Apple]

Here's the link I mentioned, which Dawg had posted. I agree with it : https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/767500/ear-infection#post_10945707

 

[seminolewind]

Okay, it is just like a bumble. It's disgusting, and I feel queasy. But I'm glad it's out. She's lost some weight. She wolfed down 1/2 a slice of bread. I soaked it with warm water for a minute, then started with the q-tip and peroxide. The tweezer pulled it right out. I rinsed the ear canal with a qtip and peroxide, and a generous dab of 2x abx cream.

 

[seminolewind]

How many days on Pen?

She was my "surprise" egg with my dozen from SpeckledHen 6 years ago. She actually has a sister, too.

 

[Nambroth]

She sure is pretty! I have nothing useful to add, other than my support. I hope that she recovers well.