Interesting Predicament

[Wyorp Rock]

Can someone help me understand chicken ears?

I never thought I'd have cause to say those words ever.

The feather muffs aren't ears, then? It's the fleshy stuff down and further back? So there's an ear hole in there somewhere?

Anything we should know about chickens and ear safety when treating wounds?

LOL Good question @CarolinaSunshineFlock Yes, the little feather muff hides the "ear hole" or ear canal - if you gently move those tiny feathers you will see it. Take a look at your Henry. The fleshy stuff is the ear lobe.

I'm not sure about the question of ear safety when treating wounds? If you are referring to this thread about @MissNutmeg rooster with the swollen earlobe, then you would want to try to avoid getting ointment or spray in the ear if possible, but a little probably wouldn't hurt. Chickens can get ear mites and ear infections, so sometimes dust/sprays, antibiotic ointments and even peroxide may be used in/around the ear as needed.


I found this photo for you You may also find that Henry would love to have his ears gently stroked. My rooster really liked it and a couple of my hens do too.

Photo found here: http://articles.extension.org/pages/66178/hearing-ability-of-poultry

 

[MissNutmeg]

Try the Benadryl to see if that will help reduce the swelling. An allergic reaction can cause swelling, pain and tenderness. (This would be 1/2 of a 25mg Benadryl Tablet given orally not the Benadryl cream).

If you have any updated, clearer photos of the swelling, those may be helpful as well. Apply a little antibiotic ointment or vetericyn to the earlobe where the tick was.

Look under his neck and around his head just to make sure there are no more ticks.

Keep us posted.

Okay will try the benadryl, and I will take some better pics this evening.


Thanks again.

 

[MissNutmeg]

Right now I just went in to check on him, (I quarantined him for the time being). The swelling seems to have gone done just a bit and he was pacing wildly about his cage trying to eat pine shavings, so I tossed him a handful of pellets and he gobbled it down like it was gonna be the end of days, boys. Well anyway I will definitely get that Benadryl in him today.

 

[Eggcessive]

It is good to hear the swelling is decreased. There are quite a few incidents of tick bites here on BYC that have caused the bluish swelling, mostly on wattles, but just a few days ago, another possible one on a chicken's face. You could probably do a search for some of those threads. Someone posted that their vet discussed the anti-coagulant bite of ticks that causes capillary bleeding which leads to tissue swelling.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Right now I just went in to check on him, (I quarantined him for the time being). The swelling seems to have gone done just a bit and he was pacing wildly about his cage trying to eat pine shavings, so I tossed him a handful of pellets and he gobbled it down like it was gonna be the end of days, boys. Well anyway I will definitely get that Benadryl in him today.

Glad to hear the swelling is going down.
Poor fella - sounds like he's going stir crazy and is hungry too.
Do you have him caged near his ladies?
Any more trouble swallowing?

 

[Eggcessive]

Just wanted to mention that you may want to spray your coop and run with 10% permethrin spray to treat for ticks. It is one of the safer insecticides for chickens and poultry.

I would place him back with his flock. You could keep him caged with his own food and water as long as he can see them. Amoxicillin would be a good antibiotic if you wish to treat for possible infection. FishMox is the equivalent, and available for fish online. Dosage is 50mg per pound twice a day. A tsp of plain yogurt with cultures daily can help provide probiotics during and right after an antibiotic to help prevent diarrhea.

 

[MissNutmeg]

Glad to hear the swelling is going down.
Poor fella - sounds like he's going stir crazy and is hungry too.
Do you have him caged near his ladies?
Any more trouble swallowing?

Nope no more trouble swallowing, thankfully.

Just wanted to mention that you may want to spray your coop and run with 10% permethrin spray to treat for ticks. It is one of the safer insecticides for chickens and poultry.

I would place him back with his flock. You could keep him caged with his own food and water as long as he can see them. Amoxicillin would be a good antibiotic if you wish to treat for possible infection. FishMox is the equivalent, and available for fish online. Dosage is 50mg per pound twice a day. A tsp of plain yogurt with cultures daily can help provide probiotics during and right after an antibiotic to help prevent diarrhea.

Yeah well he is one among four cockerels so I don't think they would really care.

Okay i'll definitely look into it! Thanks.

 

[MissNutmeg]

Hey y'all sorry I haven't got back sooner but I just want to let you know that my cock is almost completely better. The swelling in his ear went down dramatically and is just tinted a light blue, but I am assuming this is normal. He is back with his flock now.


Thanks for all the awesome advice!!!

 

[Jessdesk]

Glad to hear it!

Just a note for ticks on humans, they can carry really bad stuff, bacterially and virally, like lyme descase and powassan virus. Use deat and if you are bit, watch it closely.

PS, I had Rocky Mountain spotted tick fever as a child, they are no joke.

 

[microchick]

As a Lyme Disease survivor y'all just made me twitch and itch.

As for removing ticks safely. Forget the soap, alcohol, fire under it's belly urban legend cures for how to get a tick to release it's hold on you or an animal. If you try to pull them off you stand the chance of it regurgitating it's stomach contents into it's victim. The stomach is where all the nasties live in a tick. Starting to see the twitchy part?

The little tool is a nice thing to have around. Since we live in Missouri where everything bites, stings or gives you a rash, we keep hemostats everywhere to use to extract ticks from ourselves and our pets. Simply grasp the tick so the hemostat (or tweezers) are resting against the skin of the victim, hang on tight and remove the tick with a sharp tug. The tick will come out cleanly, mouth and all.

I can't stress enough the importance of educating yourself on the symptoms of Lyme. It is out there. You can get it (too many people say, oh I get tick bites all the time, don't bother me a bit ) and yes, it will make you sick enough to think you are going to die and wonder why you don't. I fought it for three years before getting it under control. Some doctors are stressing the importance of taking a preventative course of Doxycline if you have an embedded tick. Others say only if you develop symptoms. If you develop a suspicious rash, flu like symptoms, joint pain, bone numbing fatigue, brain fog,.....the list goes on. Do not hesitate to call your doctor. The sooner treatment begins the easier it is to get it under control.

I care about the folks here on BYC and don't want anyone to go through what I did.

Glad your bird is doing better. Take care everyone and take ticks seriously.