should wound be lanced

[bantyjava14]

I have a bantam hen that apparently got poked by something and she has a pocket of pus that developed between her eye and beak. I have been putting hot compresses on it and antibiotic ointment. Should I let the pocket pop and drain on it's own or should it lance it and apply antibiotic ointment? Anyone else come across something like this? Even though we live in a farming town, none of the vets here will see "small" farm animals so I need to do this myself. Thanks.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you post a picture? Does she have any runny nose, eye drainage, sneeze/cough, or noisy breathing that may be signs of a respiratory disease? Chickens can develop sinus swelling from respiratory infections, such as MG or coryza, but a peck or injury could very well cause a skin abscess. How close is the swelling from the eye? If you are pretty sure it is not respiratory, then lancing and draining the pus may help.

 

[casportpony]

Does it look like this?
http://connerhills.com/sinus_infection_removal.html

-Kathy