pulled a fox tail and this mass

[cornfedhogedito]

Well I went and pulled a plug out of my chickens sinus cavity. Talk about stink. I also pulled a dang fox tail out of it too! Explains why the others were not getting sick. So now hopefully she will feel better and finish molting and start giving me 6 eggs a week again, I'm hungry!

Kim thanks you said what I wanted to hear on going ahead and try and remove it.

Pictures that follow are not for the faint of heart.

Before

what I got out the white stick is a q-tip for size comp.

now what she looks like

yes the eye ball is still there! Much better looking now.

I will post a 24 hour after picture tomorrow.

 

[CMV]

I'll bet she is feeling MUCH better! Nice work!! Are you going to use an antibiotic? I, myself, would not. You clearly removed the root of the infection, so I am pretty sure she is going to fully recover without any further intervention. If she was a favorite, I might change my mind, but chickens are tough as nails as a rule, so I try to abstain from meds unless absolutely necessary.

Again- good job! It isn't easy tackling eye things. The "ick" factor is high in eye-related problems.

 

[deacons]

Wow, quite a dramatic difference! Looking forward to seeing how she looks tomorrow.

 

[rides2far]

Foxtails can be the devil! One summer I noticed my horse standing in the pasture drooling. When I pulled his lower lip out, it was completely filled with foxtails that had worked their way into his gums. Gross. He couldn't even eat. I had to clear his mouth for a few weeks until the foxtails were gone. You're hen is so lucky you found it. Good job!

 

[Eggcessive]

Wow, that must've been painful having that thing in her eye. Glad you got that cleaned out, and I really hope she starts getting better.

 

[cornfedhogedito]

I was amazed at the difference in her eye just before sunset and no smell!! She was using it and was strutting about all happy again!! I was not able to get all the junk out of her nose but hopefully with the majority of it gone it will clear up. The tylan started to shrink it but I am glad I pulled the mass out.

The following is how I did the "procedure".

I used tweezers and q-tips. I had my son hold her wrapped up in a towel, nice and snug like a swaddling blanket. Turned her over on her back and head up, fluid was draining out as I gently held her head/neck in one hand and used the tweezers in the other. I started in the middle of the mass pulling what I could out. that's were I found the fox tail. I tried grabbing the mass near the edge/eye lid area it was harder material and stuck to the skin. I used the q-tips and gently slid it between the eye lid and the mass. Once I got it started into it I moved the q-tip around the whole mass being careful to not push the q-tip into her eye. I actually stayed away from the eye. then with the tweezers I grabbed a hold of the mass and rocked it a little and pulled at the same time. I swear I heard a pop like when pulling a cork out of a wine bottle, but am not sure. The mass came out and the stink was strong, I was shocked at the size of it and the shape must be what the sinus cavity looks like to the nose as it was smaller at the end. I flushed it with saline and used a couple of q-tips to clean the now empty hole. There were a couple of spots that still had some junk firmly stuck to the flesh and not wanting to hurt her I left it. After all that I held her and talked to her and stroked her neck. Unwrapped and set her down without a fuss from her.

She has been such a trooper. Hope this helps others out.

 

[cornfedhogedito]

Ok not even 24 hours but 100% better. Also the sinus cavity/nose is clean and clear no puss or anything in them!

oh and she really is feeling better, wanted nothing to do with me holding or petting her! she back to her normal self again! Funny how she wanted nothing to do with me makes me happy!

 

[deacons]

Really amazing. Thank you for the detailed explanation and before/after photos. I am positive this will help someone else in the future. (Although I hope not me! I never want to experience that )

 

[cornfedhogedito]

Really amazing. Thank you for the detailed explanation and before/after photos. I am positive this will help someone else in the future. (Although I hope not me! I never want to experience that )

yes I hope it does and I hope no one ever needs to us it! BUT that will never happen!

 

[FloridaChick13]

I'm hoping this helps me. Thank you for such a good explanation!!