Hen's tongue poking out, nasal discharge, help!

[rfaithj]

Hello, Newbie to the group and newbie to chicken ownership.
I succumbed and made a "pity buy" Saturday. Bought a hen at a flea market....I know, not the best way to get started...but here we are. "Pendy" is a sweet red hen. We noticed yesterday that she had a curious thingy below her beak that would extend when she opened her beak. and that she had a discharge, mostly from her beak but a little from the nostrils too. enough discharge that the feathers on her head and neck stay wet.

Inexpert chicken handlers that we are, we did manage to hold her down and take a close look. (She cooperated very well, poor thing.) It turns out it was her tongue protruding thru the bottom of her beak/mouth. i was able to poke and pull it back thru to the inside of her mouth, using a chopstick(!)

The tip of her tongue was brown and stiff, is that normal or was it starting to dry out?

How should I proceed? What treatment should I do? Should i treat it as an infection? I could not actually see the hole that caused the tongue to come out. I assume it occurred during her capture and transit to the flea market. She was very dehydrated but has perked up quite a bit. color is good, eyes bright.

Please advise and thanks!
gina

 

[kyrose]

awww poor little girl.bless you for saving her.im not sure what you need to do but im sure one of the experienced people on here will help you.good luck.

 

[Daisygirl]

I'm pretty sure it dried out if she was dehydrated...keep doing what your doing with her fluids, and mabe someone on here can perscribe something, like electrolytes in the water, or yogurt? I really have no idea but if it was me, I'd go with the yogurt.
Be careful with her, it sounds like she has some sort of disease...she may get lonely, but I wouldnt get another chicken just yet.
Good on you for saving her, "pendy" is a cute name!

 

[Daisygirl]

Oh, and mabe mention something about the other systems in the title line, mabe "hen's tongue poking out, nasal discharge, needing help". It might get more experienced people into here. good luck

 

[Daisygirl]

bumping

Whats happening with her now?

 

[Daisygirl]

I just did a bit of reasearch, does the discharge smell?, what colour is it, or is it clear?

 

[rfaithj]

Well, Pendy's tongue is staying in her beak as it should, sometimes she has a little trouble getting it back in! (hangs out the side for a second).

Only difficulty now seems to be when drinking, some water from each sip leaks out from under her chin.

The nasal discharge has pretty much cleared up. it was always clear and no odor that i noticed. I think now it was probably an after-effect of having your tongue hang below your chin--things just couldn't drain as they should. I've never heard of such a thing, has anyone else?

She is even brighter and perkier than yesterday. Still living in the dog crate, in the house. She greets us when we come in the house with a gentle cackle.

BTW, "Pendy" got her name b/c we bought her at the Pendergras Flea Mrkt.

Thanks!
gina