Grossly swollen, fluid-filled waddle- rooster

[rs00]

I’m new to chickens, and my 6 month old rooster has a grossly swollen waddle on one side. Yesterday he was normal. I felt it, and it’s full of fluid, and the fluid is up in his throat area a little, too. He’s breathing with his beak open slightly.

No broken skin, or injury visible. Just purple areas (pinched, maybe??) on the lower part of the waddle.

What could this be and is there anything I should be doing for him? He’s walking around bothering the hens, so he must not feel too bad....but I’m worried for him.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I'm sorry you're going through this. I'm in MO too, the SE area but not quite in the Bootheel. Carter county. Is a vet an option, in order to get a diagnosis? Blood work, perhaps? Please don't get discouraged yet. Didn't @azygous say it could be an allergic reaction to an insect sting? Many of us here have had chickens for years and years with only minor issues. Don't throw in the towel yet!

 

[azygous]

I think there's a greater possibility this swelling is from an insect bite or an injury than a serious disease.

 

[rs00]

I think there's a greater possibility this swelling is from an insect bite or an injury than a serious disease.

I think you’re right!! The rooster is so much better today. I figure if it were a serious illness, he’d be much sicker by now.

His swelling is greatly decreased, but his waddle had filled back up by this morning. So I drained it again. It was older blood and fluid, and it appears that the fluid around his neck area drained down into the waddle overnight...since I had emptied the waddle yesterday.

He even started crowing again today and was spunkier when I was handling him. Yesterday he just stood there, so I know he’s feeling better.

I think if I can just keep any infection away while he heals up, he’ll be good to go!

Thank you so much to everyone for the advice and support!

Here is a picture comparing him yesterday and then today. Even his smaller waddle is shrinking back as it was swollen, too (but firm, instead of fluid-filled).

 

[Eggcessive]

How is the rooster acting? Is he lethargic, or is he eating and drinking? Does he seem to be in pain? Any secretions from the nose or beak? Swollen wattles and the bluish color could be a tick bite or bruising from a bump or peck.

I would explore the more common possible causes first. Swollen wattles can also be from some respiratory infections (coryza or fowl cholera,) frostbite, trauma, and fighting.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I’m going to hope for the best here, but this is going to make me feel like not trying again if I run into this type of issue right off the bat; if cholera is caught this easily from flyover birds, I wonder how anyone keeps their flocks alive?!

Nothing wrong with trying again. It's all a learning experience.
Sometime this year, I had a Buff Orpington hen come down with what looked like bird flu, all the symptoms fit. I put her down immediately. Good news is none of my other birds got sick. I gave them a 1-2 week observation period, to watch for symptoms.

 

[azygous]

Here is some reading to answer your questions. Yes, it's very contagious and all your flock have been exposed. It's not a given, though, that all will get sick and die.

What state do you live in if in the US? We can check to see if any recent cases have been reported in your area.

 

[azygous]

Antibiotics such as sulfadimethoxine, tetracyclines, erythromycin, or penicillin will usually decrease mortality in a flock.

 

[azygous]

I don't find any fowl cholera reports in your state. However, if you have any lakes nearby with a lot of migrating water fowl, your chances of this being fowl cholera is greatly increased.

The only other causes of swollen wattles is an insect bite and frostbite. Too early for frostbite, so it may be an allergic reaction to an insect bite. I would try treating for this with children's Benedryl liquid. The dose for a chicken is .5ml directly into the beak. If needed, a second dose may be give 24 hours later. These instructions are critical as it's easy to overdose if any more is given.

I sure hope he gets better. That has to be uncomfortable.

 

[coach723]

I have had roo's get hematoma's on the comb and wattles from trauma (fighting). It feels like a large, fluid filled spot/blister. Sometimes they can get quite large. They tend to fill back up from where ever the blood is seeping from and can take a very long time to resolve sometimes. Since you drained blood, it may be a hematoma from some kind of trauma. I've seen them on my roo's from fighting. I have one old roo that gets beat up on occasion, and he gets them more often.