Hen face swelling!!

[Annalyse]

Yesterday I noticed my PR hen face half of it was swelling. I left it alone bc she was eating and drinking and doing her normal routine and thought maybe it was from pecking but this morning her swelling got worse. It’s only on the one side and I don’t know what to do. The rest of my flock is fine.

 

[SmiYa0126]

@Wyorp Rock @azygous @Eggcessive please help!

 

[Barnette]

Looks like what happened to my Ellie a few months ago (pic attached). It could be an insect bite or sting. I would suggest giving her Benadryl. Here's a quote from another thread that might be helpful to you:

The swelling should go down in a couple of days. Can you look for any signs of a wasps, spiders, or ticks around the coop. They sell Benadryl at most grocery and pharmacies. A neighbor might have some. The tablets are 25mg which would be about right for a 6 pound chicken. Break it into pieces to cut down the dose.

I'd suggest using only 1/2 or 1/3 of the tablet because that's all Ellie needed; she's about 5 or 6 pounds, I can't remember exactly.

Also, keep an eye out for respiratory symptoms because stuff like MG or coryza can cause swelling.

Hope this helps!

 

[azygous]

It may be just a simple eye infection. Flush the eye with saline, then place a drop of this in the eye two times a day. https://www.amazon.com/VAZULI-Healt...=1735231875&sprefix=Terramycin,aps,328&sr=8-1

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yesterday I noticed my PR hen face half of it was swelling. I left it alone bc she was eating and drinking and doing her normal routine and thought maybe it was from pecking but this morning her swelling got worse. It’s only on the one side and I don’t know what to do. The rest of my flock is fine.

I agree, I'd start with cleaning/flushing the eyes, then applying the ointment in the eyes as suggested in POST#4

She does have what looks like a scabbing on the face/around the eyes on both sides, perhaps from scratching or picking. I'd also look inside her ears for signs of infection, pus and/or mites.

Does she have lice or mites?
Any lesions or canker inside the beak?

 

[Annalyse]

I agree, I'd start with cleaning/flushing the eyes, then applying the ointment in the eyes as suggested in POST#4

She does have what looks like a scabbing on the face/around the eyes on both sides, perhaps from scratching or picking. I'd also look inside her ears for signs of infection, pus and/or mites.

Does she have lice or mites?
Any lesions or canker inside the beak?



View attachment 4014643

View attachment 4014644

I am dealing with those black mites i forgot what their called. Ive been treating with everything yet they wont go away.

I agree, I'd start with cleaning/flushing the eyes, then applying the ointment in the eyes as suggested in POST#4

She does have what looks like a scabbing on the face/around the eyes on both sides, perhaps from scratching or picking. I'd also look inside her ears for signs of infection, pus and/or mites.

Does she have lice or mites?
Any lesions or canker inside the beak?



View attachment 4014643

View attachment 4014644

Ive been dealing with those black mites for months! I forgot what they're called but the ones that live on the chickens. Ive been treating and I have seen fewer but again Ive SEEN fewer not sure if they are dieing down.

 

[Annalyse]

Looks like what happened to my Ellie a few months ago (pic attached). It could be an insect bite or sting. I would suggest giving her Benadryl. Here's a quote from another thread that might be helpful to you:

I'd suggest using only 1/2 or 1/3 of the tablet because that's all Ellie needed; she's about 5 or 6 pounds, I can't remember exactly.

Also, keep an eye out for respiratory symptoms because stuff like MG or coryza can cause swelling.

Hope this helps!

Thank you! I will have to see if I have any tonight. I am going to check on her tonight. In the morning Ill see what I can do for her before work but she seems to be eating and drinking like normal. Shes my only hen that is always giving me a heart attack haha! She is also a heavy girl, I would say shes the biggest out of my flock.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I am dealing with those black mites i forgot what their called. Ive been treating with everything yet they wont go away.

Ive been dealing with those black mites for months! I forgot what they're called but the ones that live on the chickens. Ive been treating and I have seen fewer but again Ive SEEN fewer not sure if they are dieing down.

What are you using the treat the Mites? Are you cleaning out the housing and treating it as well?

Mites that mainly live on the bird is likely Northern Fowl Mites.

I would use a Permethrin based Poultry Dust to dust all the hens. Put the dust in a sock or stocking, then use that like a powder puff to dust all over. Be sure to work the dust all the way through the feathers to the skin.
Repeat in 5 day intervals.

For housing, clean it out, burn or throw away the bedding. Use a Permethrin based poultry spray to treat housing, making sure to get into cracks/crevices, nesting boxes, roosting bars, etc. Repeat treatment of housing in 5 day intervals.

Some use Elector PSP and find it works very well too. I've never used it.

The Mites are very likely what are causing swelling and infection, the scabbing around the eyes is probably due to her scratching. She may also have some ear infection too, hard to know.
Do your best to eliminate the mites. It may still be helpful to apply some ointment in the eye as suggested in POST#4 to help those scabs heal up and relieve some inflammation of the eye.

Mites can also cause overall decline. See that she's eating well and drinking. Poultry vitamins given orally 3X a week would be a good idea as well.

 

[aliris]

My goodness you diagnosers are good! You suspected the mites before knowing of them.

How on earth do you: "...look inside her ears for signs of infection, pus and/or mites..."?

Those black mites are awful; they can literally kill your sweet birds, orders and orders of magnitudes bigger though they may be. Bugs rule. I hope you get them gone. Horrible things....

 

[Sondraa]

Poor thing! Chickens get it from all directions it seems. I wonder if chickens in certain regions of the globe have it easier? Does anyone know?