injured comb and beak- infection?

[AbbyDog]

Hi there,

a couple of weeks ago I heard a bunch of squawking and I found three of my young pullets with bloody combs and chipped bills. By the afternoon, the last one also had blood on her comb. I checked their coop but couldn't figure out what had happened. Now I realize that it was the pvc auto-feeder I had made - because there were still sharp edges and the holes were too small for their growing heads and combs. I took care of that, but now one of the bird's comb looks awful! Another bird also has some yellow spots on her wattles.










Do you think that this swelling is because of an infection? Should she get oral antibiotics? Should it be lanced? I did put some topical ointment on it yesterday. The bulge is turgid but gives slightly when I press on it.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

 

[bullpup95]

That looks like it hurts!

 

[silkiechicken]

Swelling does look like infection, but it does appear to be healing up. Chicken puss is hard and cottage cheesy, so lancing won't help, cutting it out is possible. In this case, systemic antibiotics may help, but I personally would cut the wounds where it looks like there is pus, remove the puss, and use a topical antibiotic like neosporin.

 

[AbbyDog]

well, I cut into the lump on her bill, and below the tougher outer skin it was just a spongy material- which bled a little on the sides. I wimped out on digging it all out- for now. I put a little betadine on it and will try neosporin later. Thanks!

 

[silkiechicken]

Take a peek at this infection removal pics:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=236649

Spongey could be a good description.

If it is bleeding on the sides, that is probably the healthy tissue trying to wall off the junk.

 

[AbbyDog]

I am starting to think that my young girls have avian pox- and that it was just a coincidence that they were also a little banged up by their feeder. Over the past day or two, I have seen small pale yellow spots on their combs & wattles grow larger and turn dark and scabby. One bird has swollen spots inside of her mouth. This morning, the first pullet (in the photos) had a swollen and watery eye (with bubbles of fluid, actually) and that side of her face was swollen. I gave her some antibiotics left over from my dog, what I had on hand- and by this evening the swelling has gone down and her eye looks better. Her comb and bill still look awful, though. I have read that we just have to wait it out and try and prevent 2ndary infections. My older flock has never had this problem- and i hope they don't get it next.