Chicken Canker

brahamalady

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Hello, just wondering if anyone knows anything about chicken canker?
I have a group of Chickens that are a year old. I just got them a month ago. They are kept in coop and have a outdoor run. Before I adopted them they were never outside. I have another group of same type of chicken which are same age and same breed and line(sisters)of chicken as the new Chickens. I have had these since they were chicks, about a year.
Well 2 of the new chickens have swelling on side of face and sores in mouth...at first the sores were foul smelling but I lanced them and cleaned with saline solution. I have bedrided the wound daily and have slightly improved. They continue to eat and are still active.
I googled and the pics online look similar to what my Chickens are experiencing. We change water daily and take water jugs in at night, washing before next use. The info I read states canker is spread through stagnate water which is contaminated by most often by pigeons. We do not have pigeons that hang near our area. This group of chickens have no access to any other water source than what I provide. My other group of chickens are free range and drink wherever they find water, often ignoring the water jug I provide. They yet have expressed any symptoms of being infected with parasites.
I'm so confused about everything I have read and cannot seem to get a straight answer from anyone. Everyone I talked to has never heard of chicken canker.
I hate to exterminate them all if not necessary. I isolated the 2 infected chickens and treated all Chickens with copper sulfate and apple cider vinegar. The infected Chickens remain stable, not declining in status. They keep attempting to sneak out of isolation to join their siblings.
I'm also concerned about eating their eggs, should I be?
Anyone out there have any information or suggestions??
 
The swellings could be fowl pox or could be canker. Fowl pox usually heals up on its own, but I'm not sure about canker, so I hope this link helps: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/773308/canker-treatment

As for egg-eating, it is a learned habit. If they have tasted eggs before they may learn to eat eggs, especially if they associate it with the nest box or shells. Keep nest boxes clean, well padded, and dark and collect eggs twice a day to prevent egg eating from starting

I hope this helps. Best of luck!
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I would NOT think it advisable to eat their eggs until their problem is cleared up - I'm not sure what they have but, would imagine they need an antibiotic to clear whatever is going on. If you post on the emergencies thread, it would be great if you included pictures of them - for a better chance at accurate diagnosis
 
My bad. Read it as them eating their own eggs.
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I agree with Drumstick diva on whether or not to eat the eggs.
 

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