Rooster with swollen face

[orelsi]

Isolate him. Canker is contagious. Aquazole (Metronidazole) is the correct medicine. I wouldn't give it to the whole flock. I would wait for symptoms. In my experience it doesn't spread fast, so there's no need for mass medication.

I would give him some poultry vitamins as well (can be added to the water).

A very popular and effective folk medicine is the herb thyme - boil it like tea, wait for it to cool down and give the water to the bird with a spoon, syringe or if you are afraid of those two add it to his water. It can greatly reduce canker, especially if caught early. It decreases inflammation and has anti-microbial properties.

 

[Eggcessive]

Did you notice if there is a bad odor? Could you get a picture of it? Metronidazole or Aqua Zole dosage is 50 mg per pound daily for 5-7 days. Thyme extract would be a more concentrated form of the herb to use. It is sometimes used for treatment. Here are some choices of that:
https://www.amazon.com/thyme-extract/s?k=thyme+extract
Some treat with acidified copper sulfate in the water. Dosage is 1/4 tsp per gallon of water for 3 days a month for prevention of healthy flock, or longer to treat an outbreak in a sick bird. Get it from Murray McMurray Hatchery online, about $7.
Many cull for canker infection. Then you could send the refrigerated body to your state vet for necropsy and get a diagnosis.

 

[mandarin1]

Isolate him. Canker is contagious. Aquazole (Metronidazole) is the correct medicine. I wouldn't give it to the whole flock. I would wait for symptoms. In my experience it doesn't spread fast, so there's no need for mass medication.

I would give him some poultry vitamins as well (can be added to the water).

A very popular and effective folk medicine is the herb thyme - boil it like tea, wait for it to cool down and give the water to the bird with a spoon, syringe or if you are afraid of those two add it to his water. It can greatly reduce canker, especially if caught early. It decreases inflammation and has anti-microbial properties.

I do have him isolated from the other birds and he has had one 1/2 pill of the Aquazole. I will give him the vitamins in his water and pick up some thyme today as well. I plan on taking a look at each bird today to make sure there's no signs of it in any of them Thank you for the information!

 

[mandarin1]

Did you notice if there is a bad odor? Could you get a picture of it? Metronidazole or Aqua Zole dosage is 50 mg per pound daily for 5-7 days. Thyme extract would be a more concentrated form of the herb to use. It is sometimes used for treatment. Here are some choices of that:
https://www.amazon.com/thyme-extract/s?k=thyme+extract
Some treat with acidified copper sulfate in the water. Dosage is 1/4 tsp per gallon of water for 3 days a month for prevention of healthy flock, or longer to treat an outbreak in a sick bird. Get it from Murray McMurray Hatchery online, about $7.
Many cull for canker infection. Then you could send the refrigerated body to your state vet for necropsy and get a diagnosis.

I did notice that he does have a bad odor.I will do less of the Aquazole, the 50 mg and I'll probably pick up some fresh thyme until I can get the concentrated thyme delivered from Amazon. I will also order some of the copper sulphate from the hatchery. I would hate to have an outbreak and maybe that will help prevent any others from getting it. I do not plan on culling him unless for some reason it gets worse, he is more of a pet than just a rooster to us, my kids especially, they have him with them when they are outside playing. I will have my daughter try and help me get pictures and post them. He's easy to handle, but isn't a fan of having his beak messed with

 

[mandarin1]

Does it need to be the organic alcohol cane free thyme extract or does that not make a difference?

 

[Eggcessive]

Does it need to be the organic alcohol cane free thyme extract or does that not make a difference?

Honestly I don’t have an answer, only that Thyme extract is sometimes used. I think it is more used by those who do treat with antibiotics. How much does she weigh? The Aqua Zole is 50 mg per pound of weight or 250 mg for a 5 pound bird.

 

[mandarin1]

Honestly I don’t have an answer, only that Thyme extract is sometimes used. I think it is more used by those who do treat with antibiotics. How much does she weigh? The Aqua Zole is 50 mg per pound of weight or 250 mg for a 5 pound bird.

Well I suppose I'll skip the extract then since I'm treating with antibiotics. He weighs 7.2 lbs (he's a copper maran). Here's a pic we were able to get of the inside of his mouth.

 

[Eggcessive]

Oh, yes, it looks like canker. He is a big boy, so I would use 350 mg of metronidazole daily. I am going to tag @casportpony in case she thinks that is too much.

 

[mandarin1]

Oh, yes, it looks like canker. He is a big boy, so I would use 350 mg of metronidazole daily. I am going to tag @casportpony in case she thinks that is too much.

Okay, thank you SOOO much for your help and for tagging Kathy. He is acting normal thank goodness, just having a little trouble swallowing, but is still drinking and eating. I gave him chick crumbles to eat thinking they're so much smaller it's probably be easier for him to eat.

 

[Eggcessive]

I think Kathy and others have had to remove canker growths if they are too big. They can bleed a lot from what I have read. Canker invades the esophagus and crop wall, besides the beak and tongue. Be sure to disinfect your feeders and waterers with something like 10% bleach water, and prevent pigeons and wild birds from using feeders and waterers.