Is this an infection? plus crooked neck

[Eylisia]

This is Tweety, she's a 3 month old pullet that's half Naked Neck and half Asian Black. She has these red areas on her face, somewhat symmetrical, but worse on the left side than the right. I don't know if the crooked neck is related or if my other pullet stepped on her neck while trying to get through the door from the coop area to the main run (she likes to roost on the sill between the two). She rarely scratches her face and seems in great shape other than these issues. She's sweet, chatty, and eats like a horse! They're main food is Family Farm Egg Maker Crumbles, with fresh fruit, grit, scratch, and live BSL and crickets fed every day or two. I haven't been able to pin down what this could be and am hoping someone here recognizes it! Thank you in advance

 

[Wyorp Rock]

This is Tweety, she's a 3 month old pullet that's half Naked Neck and half Asian Black. She has these red areas on her face, somewhat symmetrical, but worse on the left side than the right. I don't know if the crooked neck is related or if my other pullet stepped on her neck while trying to get through the door from the coop area to the main run (she likes to roost on the sill between the two). She rarely scratches her face and seems in great shape other than these issues. She's sweet, chatty, and eats like a horse! They're main food is Family Farm Egg Maker Crumbles, with fresh fruit, grit, scratch, and live BSL and crickets fed every day or two. I haven't been able to pin down what this could be and am hoping someone here recognizes it! Thank you in advance

They're main food is Family Farm Egg Maker Crumbles, with fresh fruit, grit, scratch, and live BSL and crickets fed every day or two.

Welcome To BYC

The redness looks like it could be some pigment at the wattles and earlobe, but she may be rubbing her face and head against her feathers if her eyes are itchy.

I see some bubbles in her eye and mucous in her nostrils. Does she cough or sneeze? Do you have respiratory illness in your flock? Bubbles and mucous are often associated with Mycoplasma.

I would flush the eyes with saline and apply an eye ointment like Terramycin in the eyes couple of times a day. For the mucous, wipe her nostrils clear. If symptoms persist, then treating with an antibiotic like Tylosin may be appropriate.

I would consider keeping 3month old pullets on chick starter or an all flock feed that has a protein content of 18-20% instead of using a 15% layer feed, since they are likely not in lay yet and still the protein while growing.

 

[Eylisia]

Thank you for your reply! I should have noted that she was actively eating fresh watermelon when I took this picture, so her beak (and whole face) looked very wet. I'm happy to make saline solution and clean her whole head, I also have Terramycin available. Just a light coat wherever it's red? She does not cough, a very occasional sneeze (and big yawn), but I have noticed a rather sickly sweet smell on her. I am feeding them this main food because I am also feeding them live insects every day, I was warned to be careful that I don't go crazy with the protein content. Is it OK to feed as I do *and* give grower food? I also haven't noticed any other signs of respiratory illness, my other pullet seems perfectly healthy, and it's just the 2 of them. Unfortunately, the only vet who sees chickens near me isn't accepting new patients, or I'd have already brought her in to be seen.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for your reply! I should have noted that she was actively eating fresh watermelon when I took this picture, so her beak (and whole face) looked very wet. I'm happy to make saline solution and clean her whole head, I also have Terramycin available. Just a light coat wherever it's red? She does not cough, a very occasional sneeze (and big yawn), but I have noticed a rather sickly sweet smell on her. I am feeding them this main food because I am also feeding them live insects every day, I was warned to be careful that I don't go crazy with the protein content. Is it OK to feed as I do *and* give grower food? I also haven't noticed any other signs of respiratory illness, my other pullet seems perfectly healthy, and it's just the 2 of them. Unfortunately, the only vet who sees chickens near me isn't accepting new patients, or I'd have already brought her in to be seen.

Watermelon will not cause yellow mucous in the nostrils nor bubbles in the eyes. I'd treat her like she has respiratory infection, which is what the mucous and bubbles indicate.

The Terramycin goes in the eyes.

You note a sickly sweet smell - you need to figure out where that's coming from. Likely from the mucous in the nostrils. Clean them out with a drop of peroxide on a qtip and swab the mucous. Look inside her beak for any mucous or yellow/white pasty material or lesion.

See if the smell goes away when you clean the nostrils, if it comes back, then you will likely want to treat with an antibiotic like Tylosin to help clear up the infection.

If you have chick starter, an all flock or a grower feed that is at least 18-20% protein, that's what I would feed the pullets. They are 3months (12weeks) old and are not in lay. They should not be eating layer feed, it's too low in protein and has too much calcium for growing birds.

Fruit, Scratch, BSFL, etc. are considered treats, so limit how much they get daily, focus on them eating a nutritionally balanced feed for the majority of their diet.

I see some bubbles in her eye and mucous in her nostrils. Does she cough or sneeze? Do you have respiratory illness in your flock? Bubbles and mucous are often associated with Mycoplasma.

I would flush the eyes with saline and apply an eye ointment like Terramycin in the eyes couple of times a day. For the mucous, wipe her nostrils clear. If symptoms persist, then treating with an antibiotic like Tylosin may be appropriate.

I would consider keeping 3month old pullets on chick starter or an all flock feed that has a protein content of 18-20% instead of using a 15% layer feed, since they are likely not in lay yet and still the protein while growing.