Help! Injury or Illness? Swollen on one side of face.

[Gonecluckingmad]

Help! My chickens face is swollen only on the left side. There is no discharge and she is not wheezing, or sneezing. She is still happy, eating and drinking as usual. I do see a little black dot near her beak and wonder if she was stung by something ir if this could be an injury? I have sprayed this side of her face with vetericyn 3 times today and kept an eye on her. The swelling has not gone down. Any ideas? I have never had this happen before.

 

[slordaz]

If she was stung by something , usually the paste with baking soda/water helps, or the spray we use for allergic reactions might help just get some one clean finger and rub it on so it doesn't get in her eyes
there are a few other things that could be going on too such as a strain of fowl pox, an eye worm, or some type of like sinus infection. so gonna tag a few others see what they think.

@oldhenlikesdogs
@Wyorp Rock

 

[Gonecluckingmad]

If she was stung by something , usually the paste with baking soda/water helps, or the spray we use for allergic reactions might help just get some one clean finger and rub it on so it doesn't get in her eyes
there are a few other things that could be going on too such as a strain of fowl pox, an eye worm, or some type of like sinus infection. so gonna tag a few others see what they think.

@oldhenlikesdogs
@Wyorp Rock

Thanks! Still swollen this morning with no change. She scratches that side every once in a while so it is bothering her, but not enough to stop eating.

 

[Perris]

I've had two different instances of this, once was a tick bite and the other I think must have been a sting - could see a small black dot in the centre of the swelling. In both cases it went down on its own over a couple of days. I think being stung is probably a routine risk for chickens, given their habit of chasing and biting everything that flies past them (at least, that's what mine do)

 

[Gonecluckingmad]

Has anyone else had this happen? Here are some picts from today. I'm still cleaning it with vetericyn and starting applying neosporin. Swelling has not spread or reduced. She snacks on treats while I mess with her face, so it can't be bothering her too much. I'm sure it's uncomfortable to have anything that swollen though.

 

[Gonecluckingmad]

I've had two different instances of this, once was a tick bite and the other I think must have been a sting - could see a small black dot in the centre of the swelling. In both cases it went down on its own over a couple of days. I think being stung is probably a routine risk for chickens, given their habit of chasing and biting everything that flies past them (at least, that's what mine do)

Thanks!! Ticks are pretty rare here, but bees are not. They love my yard. There is a little black dot/hole near her beak. Knowing that it takes a couple days for the swelling to go down is helpful! Since I don't know what happened, I'm not sure if it's a bee sting or if she impaled herself on a little thorn? Also not sure if/when to use antibiotics (other than neosporin).

 

[Perris]

I didn't put anything on in either case. With one exception, my birds do not appreciate handling for any reason whatsoever

 

[Gonecluckingmad]

The plot thickens... pulled this out of her face this morning. Not from the black dot, but lower down. Kind of looks like the hemp bedding I use, but not sure.

 

[Perris]

better out than in, no doubt

 

[Eggcessive]

The eye could be swollen from a peck wound just behind her beak left side where the black dots are, and sometimes a respiratory infection can cause rhe sinuses to swell. Hopefully it will go down, but if you see bubbles or crusty drainage from an eye, an antibiotic such as Tylan (tylosin) may be helpful.