Hen has swollen comb and wattles

scatchandmax

Chirping
6 Years
May 18, 2015
17
5
79
Los Angeles, CA
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also note the blue mark on her comb. Her feet are also bumpy and irregular looking, swollen too. I searched for these symptoms and it looks like it might be Avian flu, but I keep reading that the highly pathogenic version of that is very rare, and I only have five hens who never interact with other chickens. Also, being on quarantine right now, we have not had visitors.
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Can you get some pictures of her foot pads? Has she been pecked or run into some fencing around the coop? Is there any sneeze, rattly breathing, or bubbles in her eye? If her comb and wattles are swollen from being pecked, it may go down on it’s own. The feet and ankles look swollen, and has a bumblefoot scab, but they may be others on the bottom. Swollen ankles can be a sign of bacterial or viral arthritis, such as mycoplasma synovitis, or gout.
 
Can you get some pictures of her foot pads? Has she been pecked or run into some fencing around the coop? Is there any sneeze, rattly breathing, or bubbles in her eye? If her comb and wattles are swollen from being pecked, it may go down on it’s own. The feet and ankles look swollen, and has a bumblefoot scab, but they may be others on the bottom. Swollen ankles can be a sign of bacterial or viral arthritis, such as mycoplasma synovitis, or gout.
 
I don’t think it’s from injury or pecking. She’s had spots from that before and it was much smaller and scab like. However, she did get knocked in the head by a kid on a swing a few weeks ago...?
 

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The comb looks like it may be from injury - I see what looks like a cut on the back of it too?
Same as the scab on the wattle. Possibly the cut/injury is infected. Is the other side just as dark - any injury/scab or cuts on that side?

The feet I would gather her up and investigate those closely. She may have more going on like Gout or even MS, but the black scabbing and swelling to me would indicate inflammation/infection. You can try soaking the feet in a warm epsom salts bath, then applying triple antibiotic ointment. Keep her on clean dry bedding and see how it goes.
 
The comb looks like it may be from injury - I see what looks like a cut on the back of it too?
Same as the scab on the wattle. Possibly the cut/injury is infected. Is the other side just as dark - any injury/scab or cuts on that side?

The feet I would gather her up and investigate those closely. She may have more going on like Gout or even MS, but the black scabbing and swelling to me would indicate inflammation/infection. You can try soaking the feet in a warm epsom salts bath, then applying triple antibiotic ointment. Keep her on clean dry bedding and see how it goes.


I was just thinking to myself, this seems like an allergic reaction or something! Thank you for validating this. She acts totally unbothered. Normal energy and appetite. And I hadn't noticed that cut before, but you're totally right. She is at the bottom of the pecking order. Good to know re: epsom salt. I'll give it a shot tomorrow!
 

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