Huge bump next to beak growing larger by day

[Crazy Mother Hen]

Hi
How is the chick going?
There are some vets online to help with a diagnosis.
You said that she first had a scratch that bled. It could be infected with bacteria and your polysporin ointment was a good start. It is really hard to diagnose with photos. Is the lump hard, wart-like, or a puss filled sack? If this was my little chick I would be putting her on antibiotics for an infection, Triple C is one brand I use. I would use a Betadine solution to bathe the wound. Careful not to get it in her eyes. If it is puss filled, it must be softened and cleaned right out perhaps the sack must be drained with a syringe.

A swollen wound on a chick's face could indicate Infectious Coryza, a bacterial infection causing facial swelling, sneezing, and nasal discharge, or Fowl Pox, a viral disease that forms wart-like nodules on the face. Other possibilities include injuries from pecking, or infections caused by bacteria like Mycoplasma. It is crucial to isolate the sick chick from the rest of the flock to prevent spread and consult a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment, which often involves antibiotics for bacterial infections or supportive care for viral ones.

What to Do

1. Isolate the Chick:
   Immediately separate the sick chick from the rest of the flock to prevent the spread of a potentially contagious disease.
   

• Contact a Veterinarian:
  A veterinarian specializing in poultry is essential for an accurate diagnosis and to determine the best course of treatment.
  
  
  
• Observe Other Symptoms:
  Note any other signs of illness, such as lethargy, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, or discharge from the eyes or nose, to provide to the vet.
  
  
  
• Ensure Good Hygiene:
  Keep the chick's living area clean and free of debris to aid in healing and prevent secondary infections.
  
  
• Watch the flock for similar symptoms.
  

 

[Crazy Mother Hen]

PS one of my girlfriends swears by honey as an ointment for her hens wounds. It would have to be good quality medical-grade, or non-heat treated, raw pure honey that is used on human wounds. 'Manuka' honey contains non-peroxide active compounds like methylgloxal, which provides strong antibacterial effects

 

[Chickensarecool123]

Hi
How is the chick going?
There are some vets online to help with a diagnosis.
You said that she first had a scratch that bled. It could be infected with bacteria and your polysporin ointment was a good start. It is really hard to diagnose with photos. Is the lump hard, wart-like, or a puss filled sack? If this was my little chick I would be putting her on antibiotics for an infection, Triple C is one brand I use. I would use a Betadine solution to bathe the wound. Careful not to get it in her eyes. If it is puss filled, it must be softened and cleaned right out perhaps the sack must be drained with a syringe.

A swollen wound on a chick's face could indicate Infectious Coryza, a bacterial infection causing facial swelling, sneezing, and nasal discharge, or Fowl Pox, a viral disease that forms wart-like nodules on the face. Other possibilities include injuries from pecking, or infections caused by bacteria like Mycoplasma. It is crucial to isolate the sick chick from the rest of the flock to prevent spread and consult a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment, which often involves antibiotics for bacterial infections or supportive care for viral ones.

What to Do

1. Isolate the Chick:
   Immediately separate the sick chick from the rest of the flock to prevent the spread of a potentially contagious disease.

• Contact a Veterinarian:
  A veterinarian specializing in poultry is essential for an accurate diagnosis and to determine the best course of treatment.
  
  
  
• Observe Other Symptoms:
  Note any other signs of illness, such as lethargy, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, or discharge from the eyes or nose, to provide to the vet.
  
  
  
• Ensure Good Hygiene:
  Keep the chick's living area clean and free of debris to aid in healing and prevent secondary infections.
  
  
• Watch the flock for similar symptoms.

I prefer not to go to the vet if possible, and we only have one other chick so how would i go about isolating her? The outside is hard but a bit squishy inside definitely puss, in her mouth there is now a yellowish bump (small but still) from the bubble above, I really prefer not to use a vet and am hoping to treat it at home, should we pop it then add disinfectants? Or what can we do? Thanks a ton for responding though~

 

[Chickensarecool123]

Hi
How is the chick going?
There are some vets online to help with a diagnosis.
You said that she first had a scratch that bled. It could be infected with bacteria and your polysporin ointment was a good start. It is really hard to diagnose with photos. Is the lump hard, wart-like, or a puss filled sack? If this was my little chick I would be putting her on antibiotics for an infection, Triple C is one brand I use. I would use a Betadine solution to bathe the wound. Careful not to get it in her eyes. If it is puss filled, it must be softened and cleaned right out perhaps the sack must be drained with a syringe.

A swollen wound on a chick's face could indicate Infectious Coryza, a bacterial infection causing facial swelling, sneezing, and nasal discharge, or Fowl Pox, a viral disease that forms wart-like nodules on the face. Other possibilities include injuries from pecking, or infections caused by bacteria like Mycoplasma. It is crucial to isolate the sick chick from the rest of the flock to prevent spread and consult a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment, which often involves antibiotics for bacterial infections or supportive care for viral ones.

What to Do

1. Isolate the Chick:
   Immediately separate the sick chick from the rest of the flock to prevent the spread of a potentially contagious disease.

• Contact a Veterinarian:
  A veterinarian specializing in poultry is essential for an accurate diagnosis and to determine the best course of treatment.
  
  
  
• Observe Other Symptoms:
  Note any other signs of illness, such as lethargy, loss of appetite, difficulty breathing, or discharge from the eyes or nose, to provide to the vet.
  
  
  
• Ensure Good Hygiene:
  Keep the chick's living area clean and free of debris to aid in healing and prevent secondary infections.
  
  
• Watch the flock for similar symptoms.

Great news it is not fowl pox, it is filled with puss there is a scab on the outside which has started to peel we will add more polysporin and alcohol tonight (we made sure everything we put is safe for them FDA approved)

 

[Eggcessive]

Glad that it turned out to be an abscess, and not fowl pox.

 

[Chickensarecool123]

Glad that it turned out to be an abscess, and not fowl pox.

Im so glad as well, thanks Everyone for replying, all the information helped, but if it were fowl pox would it just go away on its own?

 

[Fluffy_Butt_Hutt]

Fowl pox is viral, so just like similar viral infections like the common cold or covid don't have a cure, but rather a preventative of symptoms vaccine. You have to wait for it to go away once you get it, but it sometimes, depending on the immune system, can have minor life-long affects. Sounds like it was a bacteria infection, though, which is recommended to cut open and remove abscess (unlike viral) as long as you treat it and cover so it cannot get a secondary infection. A lot of infections with different causes look very similar to each other and spread differently based on individuals.

 

[Crazy Mother Hen]

All of my hens have had fowl pox at one time or another.
At this time I set up a little veterinary hospital area in my house and I spoil them rotten. I make sure that they have the best nutrition, that they don’t get hot or they don’t get cold basically I make sure that they are as comfortable as possible. It is also important that they are able to rest in a quiet and secure environment with no fear of predators.

 

[Susan Skylark]

If no other birds are affected fowl pox is unlikely to be the problem (contagious!). A single continuously growing mass is most likely an abscess (as this turned out to be) or some sort of growth (wart, tumor, etc). An abscess can be hot packed or lanced, once it ruptures keep it open and draining until it dries out and begins to shrink. Warts and benign growths can be left alone unless they are impeding the eye, nostril etc, at which point they might need to be professionally removed. While putting ‘stuff’ on a mysterious lesion might make us feel like we are doing something, in most cases it doesn’t do much, but hopefully it doesn’t make it worse! Essential oils and iodine should be used cautiously in birds, especially around the eyes and mouth. Hydrogen peroxide can be used for a day or two but impedes healing after that. Honey is a great topical dressing for infected wounds, it dries out the bacteria without damaging the cells but you need to know how to manage the wound correctly not just dribble it on and hope for the best. Topical antifungals, antibacterial ointment, and steroid cream may help if it is a superficial skin lesion caused by fungus, bacteria, or the immune system respectively but deep or large lesions will just eat your topical stuff and laugh in your face. While we all want to help, we should also be cautious not to make things worse just because we feel the need to ‘do something.’ Time, good nursing care, and good husbandry is 90% of the healing process!

 

[Crazy Mother Hen]

Great news it is not fowl pox, it is filled with puss there is a scab on the outside which has started to peel we will add more polysporin and alcohol tonight (we made sure everything we put is safe for them FDA approved)

Apologies for not being able to reply sooner I’m posting in Australia. I am so glad things are sorting out for you. I recommend cleaning it bybathing in a dilute Benadine solution or sterile saline solution. I would keep her in a very clean environment away from the dirt with her friend. And remember to give them lots of cuddles.