My Oldest Chicken Has a Huge Head Tumor

[SharonX]

Strawberry's NOT sneezing or have any other symptoms, but she is staying in the chicken stagecoach nesting area and not feeling good. She's up for grape and corn treats and comes out when it's warmer outside. I put a heating pad in last night since we had a freeze.

Is this a tumor? The huge swollen head now got some bloody spots as I think she's clawing at it. Do I need to euthanize her to end her suffering?.She seems like she's having some pain. I think she's 4 or 5 yrs old.

 

[BayBay Peepers]

I wish I knew more about tumors and the like, but I don't. I hope someone else will.

Do you have a vet you could go to? I understand if you can not. Also, is there a chance you could try anti-biotics? It's probably a long shot, but you never know. Is she eating and drinking alright?

 

[SharonX]

She's eating and drinking water with VitaFlight in it, but the swollen head is NOT getting better. I'll see about finding a chicken vet.

 

[Acefit411]

Poor baby...
If you have antibiotic on hand, you could certainly try (maybe it's an infection of some sort?), how long has she been this way - has it been a slow growing or overnight thing?

Also, I heard that you can give asprin for pain when you think that your chickens are uncomfortable - I'm not sure of the dosage, but I'm sure someone on BYC can help with that.

Good luck, and I will be following

 

[Toddrick]

Is it hard like a tumor, or is it filled with liquid like a cyst? You should try draining it with a large gauge needle if it is a cyst.

 

[SharonX]

I think this is probably the cause:

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/197/swollen-head-syndrome

I'm a night worker, so when I come home the chickens have already roosted and Strawberry was recently going back to the old chicken stage coach in the yard to roost. I assumed it was because she felt so poorly. However, tonight I found that one of my Amerucanas has taken to bullying her when she comes in to roost and pecking her. They always roost separately across the glassed back porch from one another. But now I see they need to be separated.

I know now that Strawberry was just trying not to be pecked by sleeping in the stagecoach by the time I got home. I protected her tonight and gave her a nice supper of warm oatmeal with cream with a pinch of sugar and salt. She gobbled it up. Her appetite is good.

She also suffered a year or so ago from Fowl Pox which I treated by spaying Dermoplast, which helped her pain and the lesions finally went away. I'm thinking I need to do the same with this virus. Thing is, Dermoplast is COLD when sprayed on -- good for summer, but it's freezing weather here now.

 

[ten chicks]

Does not look like swollen head syndrome. I would be suspicious of some type of infection. Have you tried lancing comb to see what is inside? She is clawing/scratching at it b/c it is probably painful and irritating.

 

[SharonX]

Yes, I think it IS Swollen Head Syndrome, but no respiratory issues. I've not seen her scratching it, but today I saw an Amerucana attack her on her head, so I believe that the bloody spots on the swollen part are actually peck marks from the other hen. It's fairly solid and does not ooze pus. If it's a virus, it will abate eventually, just like the Fowl Pox. Her appetite is very GOOD!

 

[ten chicks]

Pus in birds does not ooze,it is solid and has to be dug out as it does not drain.