Swollen hard corner of Pullets mouth - abscess like

[ChristyBRogers]

Hello all,

My first post here. I don’t have access to a poultry vet and could use some help as I’ve been keeping backyard chickens for a few years now. Tired of googling my way to cures or losses.

One of my new pullets has developed a large firm sore like area on the side of her mouth. She’s still eating and closing her mouth but it’s just popped up in the last few days while I’ve been working at the hospital.

Any ideas on what it is and how dangerous / infectious? How I can keep this from becoming something potentially life threatening / limiting?

 

[Eggcessive]

Is there a bad odor from the beak? Can you see any yellow material inside the beak? It may be canker, a protozoan infection. Metronidazole is a treatment, 250 mg daily for 5 days.

 

[ChristyBRogers]

Yes it’s whiteish yellow inside and smells like garbage.

I think you’re right. I felt like it was something fungal yeast related.

How contagious is this? I can get the antibiotic but wondering if she needs isolation or any other precautions I need to take with the other girls.

We’ve really been trying to boost our runs cleanliness adding sand etc. this summer has been rough with illnesses and the heat.

 

[Eggcessive]

Metronidazole is available online as Aqua Zole or Fish Zole. Allivet and Heartland Vet are places that sell it online. Canker is a protozoa. There are fungal or yeast infections inside the beak, as well as wet fowl pox from mosquitoes, which can look similar. But the difference in canker, is the rotten odor. Canker is carried by pigeons and some wild birds. To prevent it, clean/disinfect all feeders and waterers with 10% bleach and rinse well. Some use acidified copper sulfate in the water 3 days a month for prevention. It is very contagious to other chickens. You may want to separate her for this reason. Here is some reading about canker:
https://www.bhwt.org.uk/hen-health/health-problems/oral-canker/

 

[ChristyBRogers]

Metronidazole is available online as Aqua Zole or Fish Zole. Allivet and Heartland Vet are places that sell it online. Canker is a protozoa. There are fungal or yeast infections inside the beak, as well as wet fowl pox from mosquitoes, which can look similar. But the difference in canker, is the rotten odor. Canker is carried by pigeons and some wild birds. To prevent it, clean/disinfect all feeders and waterers with 10% bleach and rinse well. Some use acidified copper sulfate in the water 3 days a month for prevention. It is very contagious to other chickens. You may want to separate her for this reason. Here is some reading about canker:
https://www.bhwt.org.uk/hen-health/health-problems/oral-canker/

Can she rejoin the flock after she completes the antibiotics?