SWOLLEN HEAD, DISCHARGE AND FISHY SMELL

[Howard1956]

Hi all,

I am new to raising chickens, and I have a problem I hope someone can help me with.

I have a flock of 11 birds, mostly Barred Plymouth Rocks. All are about a year old and good layers. Today when I came home, I noticed the "pet" of the bunch laying in the shade by our front porch. Normally she meets me at the gate, but she was extremely lethargic. I reached down and picked her up and noticed that the left side of her face was swollen to the point her eye was closed. She also had a "gurgling" sound and a runny nose from her left nostril. There was this strange odor...like the odor of rotting fish around her face.

I initially thought it could be a spider or snake bite, but that wouldn't explain that smell. This morning, she was completely fine.....sitting on my lap getting her treat of bread.

Does anyone have any ideas what could be wrong and how I can treat it? I called the vet, and they wanted $260 to just walk in the door without doing a thing. But, if I have to........

 

[fogandcopper]

Sounds like you have an infection. In that case you cold try lacerating it & cleaning it out, then bandage it up to prevent anything getting in & making it worse. If you have some bacitracin, put that on where you lacerate it . Keep it away from her eye though. Hope that's all it is.

 

[Howard1956]

Thank you for the advice. Other than an infection on her cheek, do you think it could be something respiratory? That smell is coming from the discharge from her nose, and it's strong. Trying to rule out all possibilities here before getting scalpel out..., and thanks again for the quick reply.

 

[dawg53]

Thank you for the advice. Other than an infection on her cheek, do you think it could be something respiratory? That smell is coming from the discharge from her nose, and it's strong. Trying to rule out all possibilities here before getting scalpel out..., and thanks again for the quick reply.

It's sounds like Infectious Coryza, a very bad respiratory disease. If in fact it's coryza, I recommend that you cull her. Here's a link:
http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/p...verview_of_infectious_coryza_in_chickens.html

 

[Howard1956]

Thanks. I read the link you sent, and that pretty much nails the symptoms. I guess I'll go ahead and take her to the vet just because she's my granddaughter's life and see if it is in fact Coryza. Right now, I'm going to go separate her from the rest of the flock. According to that link, it can be very contagious. Putting her down may be the best option.

Thanks again for the reply.