help! brahma has swollen left side of face, yellow growth in mouth, can't close beak

[ababonich]

Hi...was away for a week. When back, we noticed that our Brahma was ill. The left side of her head is swollen, her beak is propped open by a growth on the left side of her mouth. Her eye is sometimes closed. She is very thirsty. She is able to walk around and roosted with the others as per normal.

We are new to chickens this summer. Wondering if this is something we can treat....or may be contagious to the rest of our flock.
Of course it is the long weekend and I will not have access to a vet until Tuesday

Here are some pics. Don't worry about the missing feathers on her head. She was breeding stock hen from a hatchery and was 'bald' on her head and back as a result. We have had her for month and her feathers have not grown back in yet. Their breeding stock was debeaked unfortunately, therefore her top beak is shorter than her lower beak.

Any suggestions or information is GREATLY appreciated. Betty is a sweet lady. Thank you!!!!


yellow growth inside mouth on left side...appears to be preventing her from being able to fully close her beak


left side of face. She is able to open her eye but often keeps is closed.

right side of her face (normal)

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@casportpony

It looks like she may have canker, but the facial swelling is concerning as well. Treatment for canker is metronidazole 250mg; one tablet a day for 5 days. It can be purchased online as "Fishzole."
But she may have a little something else going on as well.

Hopefully someone else will chime in.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1080266/canker (Picture post#10 , treatment post #6, 10, 13)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/773308/canker-treatment (Treatment Post#4, 7, 10)

 

[ababonich]

Thank you so much! My guess is that it is canker as well. Unfortunately fish Zole or metronidazole is not readily available where I'm from

I asked my vet this morning and it is not readily carried. I will have to order online and hope it gets here in time.

I've also read that acidified copper sulfate is useful, however all feed supply stores in my area are currently sold out

Betty (the Brahma) is still attempting to eat (not sure how successful she is at it as she cannot properly close her beak). And when you touch her swollen side, it is hot. So definately must be an infection.

Fingers crossed that I can get some this week.

 

[WiddleChix]

It looks kind of like wet pox to me and in that case you would need to scrape the cheesy stuff from her mouth. However I'm not 100% sure that it is... I really hope she gets better.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you so much! My guess is that it is canker as well. Unfortunately fish Zole or metronidazole is not readily available where I'm from

I asked my vet this morning and it is not readily carried. I will have to order online and hope it gets here in time.

I've also read that acidified copper sulfate is useful, however all feed supply stores in my area are currently sold out

Betty (the Brahma) is still attempting to eat (not sure how successful she is at it as she cannot properly close her beak). And when you touch her swollen side, it is hot. So definately must be an infection.

Fingers crossed that I can get some this week.

I don't know where you are located but can the vet give you any substitutions for the metronidazole? Also ask if you can swab the canker with Iodine. The poor thing has such a swollen face, you may want to see if he can at least give you some antibiotics to help with the swelling while you wait for the Fish Zole.

Here's a link that shows some "alternatives" I don't know if you have a bird/pet store that may carry some of these things or not.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/993227/cant-get-rid-of-canker-in-a-bird-is-it-possible-at-all

 

[ababonich]

It looks kind of like wet pox to me and in that case you would need to scrape the cheesy stuff from her mouth. However I'm not 100% sure that it is... I really hope she gets better.

Thank you. It could be wet pox from pictures I've seen. Unfortunately, in researching the treatment, I am not sure I have the 'stomach' or expertise in handling chickens to be able to scrape her 'cheesy' stuff

. How would you get a chicken to stay still for that!?!?

She does have one bump on her head. However it is hard to know if that it pox or a prior injury as they were breeding stock and quite bald when receiving them a month ago. Unfortunately, I did not notice if the bump was there when we got her

 

[mellissa]

@casportpony

It looks like she may have canker, but the facial swelling is concerning as well. Treatment for canker is metronidazole 250mg; one tablet a day for 5 days. It can be purchased online as "Fishzole."
But she may have a little something else going on as well.

Hopefully someone else will chime in.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1080266/canker (Picture post#10 , treatment post #6, 10, 13)
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/773308/canker-treatment (Treatment Post#4, 7, 10)

Canker combined with corzya (I think this is how it’s spelt). I know this was years ago but thought this diagnosis might help. Canker requires prescription medication from vet, corzya requires antibiotics also only available with script from vet. How I know is because I’m currently treating canker and many years ago corzya went through flock killing many birds. There is no home remedies. It’s avian vet or death.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Canker combined with corzya (I think this is how it’s spelt). I know this was years ago but thought this diagnosis might help. Canker requires prescription medication from vet, corzya requires antibiotics also only available with script from vet. How I know is because I’m currently treating canker and many years ago corzya went through flock killing many birds. There is no home remedies. It’s avian vet or death.

Thanks for the info!
You are right, this thread is going 6 years old. Lots to learn between then and now, still more to come!
Seeking vet care is the best option, but not always possible so treating from home is the next best option.
Canker is caused by a protozoa and symptoms treated with Metronidazole. Infectious Coryza is a bacterial respiratory disease and symptoms are treated with Sulfa Antibiotics.
Both Metronidazole and Sulfa Antibiotics can be ordered online if you are in the U.S.
Both Canker and Infectious Corzya are contagious and make birds carriers for life, so that's something folks need to be aware of as well.