Can't Open Mouth

[AidKD]

Do you have any meloxicam? just wondering if he had a little meloxicam he may relax enough to be able to open his mouth. I wish I knew why he can't. Is a vet an option?

I don't have any meloxicam. What is it exactly? And no, a vet really isn't an option for me. He can open it up wide enough to drink, but as far as eating goes, he can only get the powdered feed. No corn at all. It really baffles me! This afternoon I gave him some food and opened his mouth for him. Well, he didn't like it and pulled his head back and opened and closed his mouth a few times. After that is when he was able to get the powdered food. Maybe if I tried opening his mouth a few times a day that would help too?

 

[AidKD]

@Bkaye
How did you figure out your chicken had an ear infection?

 

[Bkaye]

When I pulled the little feathers back from over the ear, her ear was full of gunk. She didn’t have clean ear holes it looked like they were packed full of solid white matter.

 

[AidKD]

I should probably add-
When he first got sick, his one eye was watery, and at the worst of it his other eye started watering a bit and the other eye had a couple of bubbles in it. He was hunched over, kept his worse eye closed, and slept alot.

 

[AidKD]

When I pulled the little feathers back from over the ear, her ear was full of gunk. She didn’t have clean ear holes it looked like they were packed full of solid white matter.

Did putting the peroxide in her ear get rid of the puss? Or did you have to pick it out?

 

[Bkaye]

Did putting the peroxide in her ear get rid of the puss? Or did you have to pick it out?

We had to remove it. The peroxide helps to soften it up. I would hold her and my husband would use a blunt matchstick or a blunt toothpick to try to help get the stuff out. Once we got all we could out we would flush her ear again with the peroxide and pack it with neosporine. I initially did this twice a day then we went to once a day. Over time we got it all out and she’s been fine since.

If you pull back the ear hair it will be obvious if that’s what’s going on. There may also be swelling.

 

[AidKD]

We had to remove it. The peroxide helps to soften it up. I would hold her and my husband would use a blunt matchstick or a blunt toothpick to try to help get the stuff out. Once we got all we could out we would flush her ear again with the peroxide and pack it with neosporine. I initially did this twice a day then we went to once a day. Over time we got it all out and she’s been fine since.

If you pull back the ear hair it will be obvious if that’s what’s going on. There may also be swelling.

Thanks! I'll check him out asap.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Bubbling in the eyes maybe URI/upper respritory infections ... symptoms of upper respiratory infection in chickens

You may want to moisten his food to make a mash consistency ... What kind of "powered" food are you feeding? Or is it the crumble type?

 

[AidKD]

Bubbling in the eyes maybe URI/upper respritory infections ... symptoms of upper respiratory infection in chickens

You may want to moisten his food to make a mash consistency ... What kind of "powered" food are you feeding? Or is it the crumble type?

I researched and figured it was some sort of a respitory infection. I actually did make his food into a mash and added some garlic, black pepper, and basil to his food. Along with acv and vitamin C to his water. Their food is a mixture, with corn and whole bunch of other stuff, so that is what the very fine powdery part is coming from.

 

[AidKD]

We had to remove it. The peroxide helps to soften it up. I would hold her and my husband would use a blunt matchstick or a blunt toothpick to try to help get the stuff out. Once we got all we could out we would flush her ear again with the peroxide and pack it with neosporine. I initially did this twice a day then we went to once a day. Over time we got it all out and she’s been fine since.

If you pull back the ear hair it will be obvious if that’s what’s going on. There may also be swelling.

So I checked and their doesn't appear to be any type of infection! I did put a big pile of food in his cage with him this evening, and when I went back out about an hour later, his food was gone! It definitely takes him a lot longer to eat though. And it looks a little difficult for him sometimes. My concern is that he'll not get his fair share of food when feeding time comes around with the other chickens. Should I let it go a little longer and see how he does?