Swollen face, old age?

[LinzeeBrie]

Can a puffy face ever just be a sign of illness due to old age? I figure it probably means she has respiratory problems... But at this point I'm hoping that maybe it's not something in the whole flock? She's over 4 years old, and has really slowed down in the last while... She also has a recurring leg injury, that seems to heal and then get exasperated again when the roosters are overly active... She's been eating and drinking, and holding her own up until today - when I found her hiding out in a nesting box and not really able to stand... And today is the first day that I noticed her face is quite swollen... I've taken her into the garage in a dog crate with food and vitamin water... No visible parasites...I nearly culled her but feel bad jumping to conclusions... She's such a sweet girl, and the only one that lets the kids carry her around... No sneezing, coughing, or oozing, but her breathing sounded heavier today - not raspy, just laboured.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She also has a recurring leg injury, that seems to heal and then get exasperated again when the roosters are overly active... She's been eating and drinking, and holding her own up until today - when I found her hiding out in a nesting box and not really able to stand... And today is the first day that I noticed her face is quite swollen

Hard to know what's going on with her. Does she still lay eggs?
I would see if getting her hydrated and eating makes a difference with the swelling and not being able to stand.

How many roosters do you have? Could be she's hiding out from roosters and not eating/drinking very well.
I do see some swelling. There's either a scab or soil/debris behind the eye(?) if a scab swelling may due to injury.

As for culling. I usually go with my gut on that, you saw something that made you consider that...just sayin'. See how she's does overnight and go from there.

 

[LinzeeBrie]

Does she still lay eggs?

She's not actively laying, no... Most of my older birds are still waiting for longer days (me too girls, me too).

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Having New-ish birds is a concern. I would keep them quarantined for observation.

What's your temps been like?

My older hens have that all the time, it's fine. It will heal in a few days.

Wow! You're older hens have facial swelling and swollen combs all the time? I've never had that with mine. Didn't know it was "common".

 

[LinzeeBrie]

It definitely doesn't feel "common" to me... I wonder if there's an underlying respiratory infections that flares up in older/compromised birds?

@Wyorp Rock that's definitely swelling in the other/younger bird too isn't it . I think those pictures might be from colder days.
We had the big cold snap, lows of -25°C overnight... They weathered it well though (I believe) and we're back up around 10°C daytime highs still around freezing overnight.

 

[LinzeeBrie]

How is she today?
I would observe to see if the swelling goes down over the course of a few days. I would wonder if it may be from frostbite, if so, then you may see some tissue damage appear.

She looks slightly less swollen, and a little more perky - but still not weight bearing at all on her left leg... She ate a scrambled egg, and some chicken noodle soup (courtesy of one of the roosters that was picking on her - we move fast around here! ). Put some poulvite in her water, and will take her in for an epsom salt bath tomorrow. (things are a little muddy right now, so I'd like to get her nice and clean for a thorough inspection.)

 

[Meri Maura]

She's old and the roosters probably tried attack her. The swelling is normal. Separate her from the roosters permanately. Absolutely no need for culling.

 

[Meri Maura]

No treatment required, it will heal on its own.

 

[LinzeeBrie]

Hard to know what's going on with her. Does she still lay eggs?
I would see if getting her hydrated and eating makes a difference with the swelling and not being able to stand.

How many roosters do you have? Could be she's hiding out from roosters and not eating/drinking very well.
I do see some swelling. There's either a scab or soil/debris behind the eye(?) if a scab swelling may due to injury.

As for culling. I usually go with my gut on that, you saw something that made you consider that...just sayin'. See how she's does overnight and go from there.

Now I'm sitting here zooming in on old pictures to see if any other birds have facial swelling... A friend's flock has Coryza right now, so I'm hyper aware... This is the other bird that I noticed in photos:

I have new-ish quarantined birds right now, and one of them has a very occasional sneeze - the reason I haven't integrated them yet... No other symptoms.

 

[Meri Maura]

My older hens have that all the time, it's fine. It will heal in a few days.