Pissed! Hubby didnt tell me. Hen has swollen head/ comb

[silky ma]

ok a question- i want to clean/ irrigate this out- never seen this in over 25 yrs if keeping chicks!
To clean/ irrigate her head area
Woukd I tackle this like bumblefoot?silkie cochin mix

 

[silky ma]

 

[SunHwaKwon]

Similar, I think, but much harder since you can't soak it. It does look similar to bumblefoot, but could it be a spider bite?

I'd also check around the coop and run for whatever she might have cut herself on, like a nail sticking out.

Poor thing. My husband probably wouldn't notice anything like that either.

 

[silky ma]

There are a few black areas
My thinking to open one up
And gently swueeze crud out snd irrigate with baking soda water- but
I dont want to add insult to injury.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I don't know that I'd use baking soda, but others may know better about that approach. I usually use saline followed by either hydrogen peroxide or isopropyl alcohol depending on what I see going on, followed again by saline, and a round of antibiotics.

 

[SunHwaKwon]

I would figure out a way to cover her face during this process so nothing runs into her eyes, ears, nostrils, or mouth.

 

[TeeMom]

I had this exact situation about a month ago. It seemed to be an obvious wound, but when I opened it, I couldn't express anything out of it. I lanced it, but their was no liquid infection to express. We, unfortunately, ended up calling her. She just seemed so uncomfortable.

 

[MINDANAO DAVE]

Start on antibiotics and Lance it open. Just slightly open and if you see liquid open it up more. It looks like a abscess. Good luck

 

[Chasingcars]

A friend had similar problem with a chicken & a nasty abscess,
As we both keep our animals organically and don’t use unnecesary chemicals or antibiotics we handled it this way...
2 person job...super clean hands and equipment
Lanced, drained, cleaned and taped ...
Cleaned twice daily for a week using an ointment called resq remedy by burts bees.
Put onto hepar sulphur ( a natural antibiotic) vitamins and kept separately for a week .



Worked a treat! sorry I dont have an after photo!

 

[Chickassan]

I'd soften the area with some glycerin before you attempt to drain that and dissolve an asprin in water and dab the wound with the asprin water after you're done it will have an astringent effect and bring down the swelling. Poor girl, that looks so painful.