Loss of feathers and swelling in the face/head HELP!

[bonzak]

Our bantam chicken has had some feather loss and now today her face started to swell! Is there any home treatment we can try?

 

[Firefighter Chick]

here is a thread about a swollen face (from scorpion sting) that gives advice on benedryl and also a baking sods rub. perhaps something like that will work for you. It looks like she got stung by something or got something poisonous (plant?) on her.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=185520&p=2

 

[Iluvmychickens]

It might be this





Avian Rhinotracheitis 'Swollen Head Syndrome'






Extracted From:

A Pocket Guide to

Poultry Health
and
Disease

By Paul McMullin

2004
Click Here to
Order Your Copy


Introduction

A viral disease of chickens, turkeys (see separate summary), guinea fowl and possibly pheasants seen in Europe, Africa, South America and North America. It is caused by a pneumovirus of the Paramyxoviridae family, first isolated from poults in South Africa in 1978. Two subgroups have been identified on the basis of the G-protein sequence: A (original UK isolates) and B (original southern Europe isolates). There is rapid lateral transmission with infection by aerosol through the respiratory route; vertical transmission is uncertain. As for many infections, fomites can be important in moving infection between farms. The incubation period is 5-7 days, morbidity is 10-100% and mortality can be 1-10%.

Signs


•Decreased appetite, weight gain and feed efficiency.
•Facial and head swelling (though this can occur in other conditions).
•Loss of voice.
•Ocular and nasal discharge.
•Conjunctivitis.
•Snick.
•Dyspnoea.
•Sinusitis.

Post-mortem lesions


•Serous rhinitis and tracheitis, sometimes pus in bronchi. If secondary invasion by E. coli then pneumonia, airsacculitis and perihepatitis.
•Congestion, oedema and pus in the air space of the skull occurs in a proportion of affected birds due to secondary bacterial infections.

Diagnosis

Clinical signs, serology, isolation of ciliostatic agent. Differentiate from Infectious Bronchitis, Lentogenic Newcastle disease, low virulence avian influenza, Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale. Serology - Elisa normally used, not all commercial kits are equally sensitive to response to both A and B challenge viruses.

Treatment

Antibiotic not very effective. Control respiratory stressors, chlorination of drinking water, multivitamins.

Prevention

All-in/all-out production, vaccination (degree of cross protection between A and B types remains to be established). Live vaccines can reduce clinical signs and adverse effects, inactivated vaccines may be used in breeders prior to lay.

 

[bonzak]

Thanks for the info!

We have found more bumps/nodules on her under side and by the vent. She seems to be healthy other wise (eating/drinking fine)

 

[Rhi]

Did you find out what this was? Was chook ok? Heal on its own? My chook has the same thing - vet thinks its fowl pox

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Did you find out what this was? Was chook ok? Heal on its own? My chook has the same thing - vet thinks its fowl pox

Hi @Rhi Welcome To BYC
If you have photos of your chicken we will be happy to take a look.

Did your vet recommend any type of treatment for your chicken?
Also giving us your general location (state/country) is helpful when giving suggestions.

Here's some reading about Fowl Pox http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/fowl-pox-prevention-treatmen/