Looking for input with ongoing sick hen!

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi there, I was able to and it does look yellow ish on the roof of the mouth and one lesion. Still didn’t notice a bad smell. Have you seen anything fungal mouth infections? That is my only other thought. She defintley has difficulty swallowing. Thank you for your comment!

It could still be Canker. If you've started the Metronidazole, I would finish the course of treatment.

I'll tag in @Eggcessive and @dawg53 to see if they have other suggestions.

It is interesting that the skin seems to be overgrowing on the beak.

 

[rikrak_crackerjack]

It could still be Canker. If you've started the Metronidazole, I would finish the course of treatment.

I'll tag in @Eggcessive and @dawg53 to see if they have other suggestions.

It is interesting that the skin seems to be overgrowing on the beak.

Thank you so much for you input, much appreciated!! It’s definitely abnormal looking and mostly on the one side. It’s always so hard to get good photos which makes it difficult. Not the same as in person
For sure!

 

[dawg53]

It could possibly be a sinus infection. However, sinus infections in poultry are usually linked to the onset of a respiratory disease. If it were a respiratory disease, it would easily spread to the rest of your flock. Here's a link:
https://www.bing.com/search?q=sinus+infection+in+chickens+treatment&FORM=QSRE6

In this instance, I highly suspect it's sinus canker. There is no foul odor because it isnt necrotic.
I also highly recommend that you cull the sick bird and bury her deep away from your other birds, or incinerate her. Canker infected birds remain carriers of the disease and is easily spread via waterers and feeders. Sanitize all feeders and waters to prevent the protozoa from spreading to your other birds. I recommend closing your flock a period of time in order to observe other birds if they develop canker sores.

 

[Eggcessive]

I haven’t seen canker except in pictures. Very hard to know for sure what is happening without a vet’s biopsy, but I also agree that I would finish the course of metronidazole, since it is started. It is more rare, but we have seen a case of cancer in the same area, and it also resembled canker. The person had a necropsy done and the necropsy report came back cancer. With the odd shaped pupil, I would wonder about that. I would get a necropsy if you lose her, and tell them it is a backyard chicken. Here is a list of state vets to contact:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry...HFNNNJlJQ5K0jTNrq1GE42fnm7CsUjUMnE6JNOwZbnlYV

 

[rikrak_crackerjack]

Thank you all for taking the time, time is valuable and your responses are so appreciated!! . I haven’t had chickens long but am a wildlife biologist with a state agency and sample for diseases and deal with it frequently and work with our state vet lab. It’s impossible for me to ignore a struggling animal.

To further add confusion, I raised this bird a year and a half ago with 40 others from a hatchery. She then went to my partners ranch where I have a larger flock of 60 or so. When she was being bullied I brought her back to my in-town coop with two others. None of the large bunch nor the two she has been with in close quarters the last two months (she did not have these symptoms initially and had been with these two birds before) have any of these symptoms whatsoever. She has always been on the smaller side so maybe she’s just weak and compromised. I know culling is the most humane thing often (unfortunately a large part of my daily job too). I am going to continue the course of antibiotics and apply a topical anti fungal to the yellow tissue. If it responds to that I may treat for yeast. If she fails further I will cull her. If she passes I will send her in. I come to these forums to learn so I will definitely they come back to this thread and share what I learn about her down the road.

 

[rikrak_crackerjack]

@Wyorp Rock @dawg53 @Eggcessive Hi All, just reaching back out. I haven’t had the heart to cull her because it seemed she was getting better. She is completely isolated from the rest of the flock though still. As time has gone on I’m thinking it fits wet fowl pox. One of the other 2 she is with had scabs on her comb that looked like that, not much else for symptoms though. Still no odor. Completely normal poop. Decreased appetite and difficulty swallowing. I can hear her breathing and it seems difficult especially if she is stressed but it does not sound like it’s in her lungs. Some drooling. I’m just trying to support her best I can but wondered if it seemed possible it was that. It just doesn’t fit with the other thigns to me.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would have a vet take a sample of the lesion to get it diagnosed.