Eye infection or sinus infection?!

[MThree]

I just noticed this black bump or scab above my chickens nostril on one side today. She is 1.5 yr old Easter egger and still eating and laying fine. There is some clear discharge from the left eye and discoloration underneath her eye that looks more white. I’ve googled and asked friends but no one can come up with anything.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is the other eye clear and o.k.?

Any lesions inside her beak?

The scab and swelling is interesting. I'd be inclined to remove the scab and see any pus is underneath. Clean with saline, then apply triple antibiotic ointment.

For the eye, clean with saline, remove any pus/debris. Apply an ointment like Terramycin in to the eye or if you don't have that, use Original Neosporin.

Does she have any other symptoms or have you introduced new birds recently?
Sometimes it's unclear whether the cause of facial swelling and watery eye is due to respiratory infection or something else. If you do wish to treat with an antibiotic in addition to caring for the eye daily, you can try Tylosin to see if that helps.

 

[MThree]

The other eye is fine. We have new chickens but they are younger and stay in a separate coop. Sometimes they free range together. I will take another looks at it today. I was going to go get terramycin but I can put regular neosporin directly in her eye? Will it work just as well?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The other eye is fine. We have new chickens but they are younger and stay in a separate coop. Sometimes they free range together. I will take another looks at it today. I was going to go get terramycin but I can put regular neosporin directly in her eye? Will it work just as well?

Yes, you can use Original Neosporin.
Will it work just as good? Hard to know, it is an antibiotic ointment, but the main ingredients are different.

For the eye, clean with saline, remove any pus/debris. Apply an ointment like Terramycin in to the eye or if you don't have that, use Original Neosporin.

 

[MThree]

Yes, you can use Original Neosporin.
Will it work just as good? Hard to know, it is an antibiotic ointment, but the main ingredients are different.

Ok so this morning I was able to get out some pus from the scab like lesion. I swear it was almost an inch of long skinny pus that was worm like (it’s wasn’t a worm though) so gross!! I rinsed with veterycin and put prid and antibiotic ointment on it and been using terramycin in the eye and also VetRx just in case it was respiratory but she isn’t showing any signs of that. So weird I have no idea what we are dealing with. It’s almost like and infected pimple or blackhead or maybe an injury that got infected but it’s so close to the sinus area? I will keep this treatment course twice a day and hopefully will see some improvement in the infection but I have no idea what caused this.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ok so this morning I was able to get out some pus from the scab like lesion. I swear it was almost an inch of long skinny pus that was worm like (it’s wasn’t a worm though) so gross!! I rinsed with veterycin and put prid and antibiotic ointment on it and been using terramycin in the eye and also VetRx just in case it was respiratory but she isn’t showing any signs of that. So weird I have no idea what we are dealing with. It’s almost like and infected pimple or blackhead or maybe an injury that got infected but it’s so close to the sinus area? I will keep this treatment course twice a day and hopefully will see some improvement in the infection but I have no idea what caused this.

Good job getting the pus out.

You may have to repeat the process again. Yes, chicken pus is sort of yucky LOL
I do agree with you, it sounds like the pus/swelling is due to infection from a peck or injury, especially since there was the scab with pus underneath.

Hopefully you'll see some improvement in a couple of days, if not, then you may need to give an oral antibiotic to see if that makes a difference. Amoxicllin would be good if you have that. Baytril can be used too.

 

[MThree]

I started on Tiagard which was the off label from Amazon of Denaguard but she isn’t drinking or eating much now and keeps herself away from the others in the flock quite a bit. Still getting a watery eye now and then but it’s improved since starting the eye ointment. I’m just so concerned for her. The lump/swelling is more localized now and not around her eye but just above the nostril. I gave her some of the antibiotic water in a syringe the past two days and I did see her drinking a little on her own last evening but noticed her poo was hard and crumbly so gave her a scrambled egg to maybe help her perk up but she still is acting weird. Hate that I can’t figure out what is wrong with her. All the other hens are acting fine and laying fine.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I started on Tiagard which was the off label from Amazon of Denaguard but she isn’t drinking or eating much now and keeps herself away from the others in the flock quite a bit. Still getting a watery eye now and then but it’s improved since starting the eye ointment. I’m just so concerned for her. The lump/swelling is more localized now and not around her eye but just above the nostril. I gave her some of the antibiotic water in a syringe the past two days and I did see her drinking a little on her own last evening but noticed her poo was hard and crumbly so gave her a scrambled egg to maybe help her perk up but she still is acting weird. Hate that I can’t figure out what is wrong with her. All the other hens are acting fine and laying fine.

Tiagard (Tiamulin) will treat Mycoplasma only, so if the infection is from something else, it may not be effective.

Did she drink the medicated water? Tiamulin is very bitter, you probably need to sweeten the water with juice or corn syrup.

Do you have updated photos of what the sore looks like now?

 

[MThree]

I know I add half a cup of sugar to the gallon of water fresh each morning and then give her a syringe of the water in the evening just to make sure she is getting some of it. It is looking way better so not sure what is helping. I’m still doing eye ointment, vet Rx, and spraying veterycin on the bump itself. The infection is gone in the eye but now localized to the bump between her nostril and eye. Here is a pic from last night.

 

[MThree]

This was five days before that last picture and you can see a huge difference.