Isolating a hen with a sinus infection?

[Fluffychicky]

So one of my girls has a sinus infection and I've placed her in a metal dog crate with food and medicated water she can walk around a little but the cage is not super big. My question is should I allow her out to run in the yard with the other girls for an hour or two each day or should she only be in the cage for the 10 days I'll be treating her? Right now the infection is in her left eye and it's swollen shut her other eye is normal and she eats and drinks ok, she is also walking around like normal but the left side of her face like I said is pale and swollen shut. I'm treating with tetroxy hca right now because it's all I have until next month's paycheck but I'll also be using a salt water compress to clean her eye with twice a day and triple antibiotic cream to put in her eye. An answer to my question and any advice for her condition would be helpful.

 

[Briza]

From what I know of contagious diseases, it would be better to protect the rest of the flock from her right now. It really depends on what's causing her sinus infection and how contagious it is but if you don't have that information, I'd err on the side of caution.

 

[Fluffychicky]

well should I take her out to run around on her own and let her stretch her wings/legs?

 

[Briza]

If you can keep her from eating/drinking from anything you have set up there for your other birds, that might be okay. I'm very hesitant to say for sure as it really depends on how contagious it is. If you feel you must, avoid doing it on days where the ground in the run is wet as those conditions are favorable to all sorts of diseases. Stick to sunny dry days. Just remember that the others may still catch it as you can't be sure the pathogen won't linger but it's still better than having them around her full-time. It's like visiting an ER vs being in one, the latter increases your odds of catching hospital transmitted diseases way more but there's a risk either way.

You might consider setting up a small quarantine run in the future for your sick birds and new birds you acquire if you are able.