Please help me determine what might be wrong with my hen who has had a swollen head for over a week

[Lobzi]

She acts relatively normal except the swelling is inhibiting her vision. She eats when she can find the food and moves around normally. She has normal poo and doesnt seem to have a respiratory issue, no watering eyes, running nose or difficulty breathing.
Im wondering if she was stung by a bee or yellow jacket. I have a lot of them in the yard and a human friend of mine was stung just yesterday when he was over visiting.
Ive tried giving her some benadryl in her food to try and reduce the swelling but I cant tell that it is helping.
Does anyone have any ideas as to what I can do for her? Here are some pics I took of her yesterday.






I sure hope someone will actually give me some ideas as to how to help her. I posted pics of her when I first noticed the problem and only got a lot of lookers no responses.

 

[Gardeningmama]

Oh my goodness!!! What the h*!!. I have seen dogs stung by wasps react with extreme swelling, and days of dosing with benadryl did help, but good lord. That is horrible. Can it hurt to put her on some Duramyacin just in case? I'd sure as heck try it. I get it from my local feed store, it is very cheap, and effective in the right circumstances. It can't hurt to try.

 

[Suzierd]

Wow poor girl I really don't know what it is I hope it's a bee sting or something that will heal. There is a virus thats called swollen head syndrome you might want to do a search and see if you think that's it. I would separate her from the other chickens until you figure it out. Good luck.

 

[Lobzi]

Duramycin is an antibiotic Im guessing?

Thanks for both of your inputs. Im just as such a loss, mainly because she doesnt really act sick, just disadvantaged in her loss of sight.

 

[Gardeningmama]

Duramycin is an antibiotic Im guessing?

Thanks for both of your inputs. Im just as such a loss, mainly because she doesnt really act sick, just disadvantaged in her loss of sight.

Okay, I've done some research, and I think Suzierd is right. Your gal looks like she has a severe case of Swollen Head Syndrome. If you Google the word Swollen Head Syndrome, click on Images and scroll down you will find many pictures that look just like her. You need to get the antibiotic to treat any secondary infections that could arise from the virus. The virus itself has to run it's course. Quarantine her, it's contagious and make sure it's not you contaminating the others( wash everything after you've dealt with her, like food and water transport containers and such). FRESH AIR was something vital, because it's a respiratory virus. The antibiotic is very cheap, I go to The Mill, but some use Tractor Farm Supply, wherever your local feed is. Everything I just listed you can find out too, Please keep us updated, threads like these are important to people that need references in the future.

Fingers Crossed for Her!

 

[Lobzi]

You are so wonderful to go through all this trouble for her. Do you think that giving her benadryl is helpful at all? I just hate that the swelling is obscuring her vision so....I know for chickens it is their main sense.

 

[Lobzi]

Im just not seeing the coughing or sneezing or anything of a respiratory distress nature. Perhaps her version is not so severe but just looks really terrible.

 

[Gardeningmama]

So, I looked up more, and it seems that even though it is an upper respiratory virus, often the only symptom is the swelling. In young birds: often accompanied by signs of chronic respiratory distress.In yours it appears that the sinus cavities are severely swollen, that's it. The mortality rate is greatly affected by the possibility of a secondary bacterial infection (thus the need for the antibiotic). I saw a lot of pictures of birds with their eyes completely swollen shut, I pray that doesn't happen to your girl.

 

[Lobzi]

Ah it already has...this morning I find her without sight. Poor thing. Im going to keep her isolated and on benadryl. At least that keeps her relaxed just sleeping. I think that is best for her right now. I do not know how I will get food in her though. Ive offered it under her beak but because she cant see it she is not going for it yet. Maybe later, and if the benadryl works at all.
Im wondering now about perhaps using a cold medicine to help ease the sinus swelling.

 

[Lobzi]

She died last night.