Pullet with scabby cheek and swollen throat

[Farmlymatters]

I have a group of Belgian Liege fighter chicks about 5 weeks old. Yesterday, suddenly, two of them looked like they had scabby cheeks and seemed a bit tired and hunched. I also noticed the skin beneath their beaks was a little swollen and felt warm to the touch. The next day, one of them was looking almost back to normal and the other is looking worse. I have attached pictures for reference of the chick that is struggling. She is standing hunched with puffed feathers. The swollen patch beneath her throat still feels warm to the touch and appears slightly more swollen. The eye on the scabby cheek is also closed.

I cleaned the rashy spots with saline and applied Hen Healer and Vet RX to each one where I noticed the rash. I also gave them electrolytes and Nutridrench. I have them both quarantined even though one of them looks mostly back to normal. None are vaccinated for fowl pox yet, although that vaccine is set to be delivered this week. I have vaccinated all of them for Marek's.

Any insight into what's going on appreciated!

 

[Farmlymatters]

She is still eating and drinking but not as much as the rest. I could tell her crop had something in it last night but was not as full as the others.

 

[Saveria]

Are they breathing okay, or having any other abnormal symptoms? Do you think they could have gotten bit or stung by anything?

I know there is an illness that can cause face swelling, but I thought it came with respiratory symptoms. It is a good sign that she is eating. Hopefully someone else who knows more will see it soon.

Bump!

 

[Farmlymatters]

Breathing is good, no sneezing or coughing, no nasal or other discharge. The affected eye on either bird is not weepy.

They are outside in an enclosed pen within a pasture so it's possible they could have gotten stung but there's not a sting mark or a particular swelling point that would point to that. The swelling symptom is generalized and, at initial observation, was exactly the same in the two affected pullets.

Swelling in pullet #1 has reduced by about 80% and she is acting normal. Swelling in pullet #2 (pictured) increased by about 20% in size and became firmer, less mushy, overnight, and she is acting ill.

 

[Saveria]

@Eggcessive , I felt like I saw you posting about this condition a while ago. Is my memory serving me right?

 

[Eggcessive]

Are they getting pecked or bullied into running into the fence wire they are housed in? Can you see any bubbles in one eye on the swollen side? With the dark skin it looks like injuries on fencing, but a swollen face can also be due to a respiratory disease such as MG, or sting. MG can pass through hatching eggs and through direct contact. I don’t see anything that suggests fowl pox, but it can cause swelling at scab sites. Did you get these chicks from a breeder or hatch them yourself?

 

[Farmlymatters]

Are they getting pecked or bullied into running into the fence wire they are housed in? Can you see any bubbles in one eye on the swollen side? With the dark skin it looks like injuries on fencing, but a swollen face can also be due to a respiratory disease such as MG, or sting. MG can pass through hatching eggs and through direct contact. I don’t see anything that suggests fowl pox, but it can cause swelling at scab sites. Did you get these chicks from a breeder or hatch them yourself?

A fencing injury is possible and I honestly really hope something mechanical is the case. I would have thought that too if it wasn't for the uniform swelling on both birds but still may be from the run. Hmmm. No bubbles or discharge, really no visible eye issues at all except for them keeping the eye closed on that side. Corneas look good.

We got the eggs from a specialty breeder (NPIP) and hatched them ourselves. We are NPIP certified ourselves so we are very careful about where we source the birds. However, we live in a valley where we do have other small flocks within about 1mi and 2mi respectively so perhaps there would be some wind-borne potential? Also, we live near the Mississippi River so we have a lot of potential from migrating birds. We mitigate for that with covered runs, but they are also on pasture some of the time, which makes me nervous for exposure.

This is really stumping me as I've not seen anything like it before. I appreciate all of the help!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

Hopefully, it is not something like mycoplasma (MG.) NPIP basically tests for pullorum, fowl typhoid, although they may or may not possibly test for avian influenza, MG and others. That probably depends on what they ask to test for. Your breeder might have something verified to show you about that. Here is a link about NPIP, and it can vary in each state:
https://www.mypetchicken.com/blogs/...tcheries,Fowl Typhoid and Salmonella Pullorum.

I bought some pullets once from a local NPIP breeder about 10 years ago. She did not specify what besides the two basic tests they do on hers. They were expected later that day, so I was a bit worried later. One of the pullets sold to me, I also found out, had been missing for a month and just showed up the day before. By then all of the 6 chickens had been loaded in the car. Luckily, I didn’t have any problems, but whew!

 

[Farmlymatters]

Thanks @Eggcessive Yeah, NPIP is definitely not a for-sure thing because, as your story relates-- it only covers so many bases and less careful breeders are going to do silly things and still be in compliance with the program. Ours only tests for Typhoid and Pullorum. Do you know of any way to secure PCR tests for MG? Trying to rule out what I can and we're very far from a state lab. Plus, would be a nice thing to keep on hand for any future concerns.

Update:
- one of the quarantined birds is now completely asymptomatic.
- The other has a slight reduction in the "scabbiness" on her cheek and eye is now fully open and clear. Her wattles are still very swollen. She's eating but seems a bit sore. Once I moistened the food to soften it, she ate quite greedily.

 

[Eggcessive]

You could call your state NPINP and ask them about testing. You also can ask the state vet what they would recommend. The third suggestion which is more expensive would be to call a national lab such as Zooloxix in CA, and have them send you swabs to test a sick bird with symptoms. Those swabs are then mailed overnight back to them, and they do the PCR test for MG, or up to 8 different diseases on a respiratory panel. Here is a link for them:
https://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm
And the main contact info:
https://www.zoologix.com/