Roosters right side of head and nose is swollen. What could be wrong?

[Asmi5652]

my rooster is about 10-11 months old standard Cochin
He is eating, drinking, and behaving normally.
His head started swelling about 2 weeks ago. I thought at first another chicken had hurt him or something but the swelling has not went down.
All of my other chickens are fine and not showing any signs of anything.
i did notice his nostril bleeding two times since this started.
his poop has been normal. He has been on tetracycline in his water for the last week and it doesn't seem like it has helped.
does anyone have any idea what is going on with him and what I can do?

 

[ArcticMermaid]

Have you looked his head over to make sure there is not a head to it like a boil or abscess even a small puncture can make a huge abscess

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. It looks like a tumor, but I suppose it could be an abscess or even canker, a protozoan infection. Can you take him to a vet? If not, you could try to lance it, and see if you get blood when you squeeze it, or solidified pus which looks like wax or cheese. How does his nostril look up close? Can you look inside his beak and roof of his mouth for any yellow or gray patches?

 

[Asmi5652]

Yes. I have not seen any marks or any thing. I even looked in his mouth to see if he had any sores there and nothing. Looks totally normal.

 

[Asmi5652]

A few more pics

 

[Asmi5652]

Welcome to BYC. It looks like a tumor, but I suppose it could be an abscess or even canker, a protozoan infection. Can you take him to a vet? If not, you could try to lance it, and see if you get blood when you squeeze it, or solidified pus which looks like wax or cheese. How does his nostril look up close? Can you look inside his beak and roof of his mouth for any yellow or gray patches?

No poultry/avian vets around here
Up close it looks like it is stuffed up with junk. I pressed on his nose and it was kind of pliable but the side of his head felt hard.

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm really thinking that it is probably a tumor, but I am not a vet or an expert. I would probably lance it, and give it a squeeze, just to see if it bleeds or you get anything out. Does it smell bad? Hopefully some others will see this and give you an opinion. Have you ever had a chicken with Mareks disease or tumors before?

 

[Asmi5652]

I think I will play with the nostril tmrw and see what if anything comes out. And no I haven't had any mareks, tumors or disease in my flock. He originally came Murray Mcmurray hatchery.

 

[ArcticMermaid]

It may be fungal you can put some anti-fungal cream on the bump. Also look inside her mouth to see if there is a yellow bump inside under where the bump is on the outside

 

[Asmi5652]

It may be fungal you can put some anti-fungal cream on the bump. Also look inside her mouth to see if there is a yellow bump inside under where the bump is on the outside

Thanks! I was wondering if it might be fungal since when it started it had been raining here for like a week. And I did look in his mouth yesterday. Totally normal, no spots or anything.