Swollen lump near ear !

[KayTee]

I have to disagree about the antibiotics for an ear infection. If not treated, and ear infection can spread to the sinuses and brain eventually. Respiratory infections may also cause ear infections. With something this close to the brain I would not hesitate to use antibiotics. Although some ear swelling can be from tumors, most are infections. Take a look at these links, and especially the last one for what can happen when left untreated:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/831156/really-nasty-ear-infection-in-a-silkie-hen-graphic-pics
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...r-lobe-possible-mareks-tumour-or-an-infection
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/...-large-hard-mass-growing-behind-his-ear-photo

Eggcessive is right - from those photos your girl's ear is looking worse - if it was me I would really be looking at antibiotics now, even though I don't like using them as a rule. I wouldn't be trying to push the infection around in the ear - I'd leave it and try to treat it now.

It would be best if you could get a vet to prescribe you some antibiotics, but failing that, something like amoxicillin that you have left over in your medicine cabinet will also work - you simply need to work out the dosage for chickens as opposed to humans. If you aren't sure then let us know what antibiotics you have - type and strength, and we can help you work it out.

If you decide to go the antibiotic route then remember that it is best to give the medication directly to the bird on small amounts of food or by dropper onto the beak. Don't just put it in the water and rely on the bird drinking enough to get a full dosage.

Let us know what you decide, and how things are going.

 

[Troppo Chick]

Hi Kaytee

I have been applying the peroxide/water solution and today the lump doesn't seem to be getting larger. No gunk has presented itself. I did call the local vet and they thought it was strange that there was no gunk. They thought may be an insect bite or something and they told me to call back when gunk presented and to just keep watching her.
"Galads" is still in good spirits eating, drinking and running around as usual. She isn't shaking her head and I have checked her breathing, no rasping or heavy panting. There is no liquids coming from her nose either and she is breathing normally. The lump is still is warm to touch though.

The only antibiotics I have handy are ciprofloxacin - Ciprofloxacin is used to treat a wide variety of infections, including infections of bones and joints, endocarditis, gastroenteritis, malignant otitis externa, respiratory tract infections, cellulitis, urinary tract infections, prostatitis, anthrax, and chancroid.
That is an excerpt from Wikipedia.
The tablets I have are 500mg each. I do have some antibiotics left over from the vet, when my last chook passed away from injuries from being attacked by a large water rat. It is a green powder and is supposed to be mixed in with the water and dropper fed to the chook.

Unfortunately, in Australia we need presecriptions for antibiotics we cant just buy from the local produce store. I have bought some Neosporin Ointment online but have been using Betadine which is what the chemist told me is the most similar we have here to compare. Have checked the others and none have anything swollen and are so far touch wood - have a good bill of health.

I check her in the morning and nights - she is still laying. But I would like to start her on some antibiotics. Is the ciprofloxacin suitable or should I go with the leftover antibiotic from the Vet? Any help is appreciated soldiering on!

 

[JanetMarie]

Can you buy Grapefruit Seed Extract easily in Australia? Here in the U.S. it is sold in health food stores. I have a book on natural antibiotics and it says that Grapefruit Seed Extract is really the only natural antibiotic. It is strong and would have to be diluted. That way you wouldn't have to get a prescription from a veterinarian.

I would put an antibiotic in the ear as soon as possible though, before it gets worse.

 

[Troppo Chick]

Thanks Janet Marie I will check the health food shop today!

 

[KayTee]

Ciprofloxacin seems to be a broad spectrum antibiotic for both gram positive and negative bacteria, so in the absence of anything else it could well be worth a shot. The dosage I have found online is 10mg per kilo of bird per day, which is tiny given the fact that you have 500mg tablets, but don't worry. If your girl is between 2 - 3 kg (average chicken size) then you are looking at 30mg per day. Given that some of the medication will get left on the bowl or the spoon, and that a slightly larger dose won't be the end of the world, I would aim for 50mg doses to make calculations easier. The best way is to crush a tablet to powder and then mix it with 10 teaspoons of water. Once it is very well mixed, take 1 teaspoon of the mixture and pour it over a piece of bread or other absorbent food she will eat. (Boiled rice, egg etc). Make sure she eats it all before you put her back with the others. You shouldn't eat her eggs for a week or two after giving antibiotics, but there's no need to throw them away - cook her egg and give it back to her each day. It will be a treat for her and give her a bit of extra protein.
I have used grapefruit seed extract in drinking water but never directly on a bird - I have no idea what it would do. I am not totally convinced about its efficacy as a water additive for respiratory problems, but I do know that it stops algae forming in the bird bath!!!
All the best for you and your girl.

 

[Troppo Chick]

Thanks KayTee I'll will give it a whirl in the morning on the antibiotics! Thankyou so much everyone I checked her again today and it doesn't seem to be getting bigger. I had no success with the grapefruit seed extract our local health food shop doesn't stock it and won't order until new year so I'll get some online. But I'll start her in the morning. Once again everyone thankyou so much! You guys are awesome, such a wealth of information I'll will let you know her progress!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

I think that enrofloxacin and ciprofloxacin dosage are very similar. Here is some reading about enrofloxacin dosage:
http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB...sidue_Limits_-_Report/2009/11/WC500014142.pdf
http://poultrykeeper.com/poultry-medication/baytril-used-to-treat-respiratory-problems

 

[Troppo Chick]

So I've given Galads her 1st dose of antibiotics as directed. She didn't want it hidden in the food - she preferred drinking it from a syringe! She never ceases to surprise me last night she let a funky egg drop out her bum whilst walking. Thin shelled. I've put it down to still trying to get the laying process down pat (she's been only laying for 2 weeks) The lump hasn't grown and still no gunk but should I still continue with peroxide/water solution? A plus is she's still perky and eating and drinking and she was a very skitchy chook but with the extra TLC she's quite lovely and placid to be around <3 thanks again everyone! I'll keep posted her progress!

 

[KayTee]

of course she didn't want to take the medicine the way you expected she would - she's a chicken - she lives by her own rules! Whatever you expect, she will do the opposite, and then something else again, just to confuse you

Don't worry too much about the egg - that's quite normal for the first few weeks of laying - small, misshapen, thin shelled, or 'oops' eggs that fall out almost without them realising! They often need a few weeks to work out the 'kinks' in the process. Make sure that she has oyster shell available to eat, even if you give her layer pellets - some chickens seem to need more calcium than others, and she will top herself up if necessary. It's worth noting that certain medications, foods and illness can also cause short-term egg quality problems, but since your girl seems to be eating and acting normally at the moment I wouldn't lose too much sleep over it, unless it carries on for too long.

I'm glad that it's not a struggle to get the medication into her, and that you're finding her more docile. I had a girl with bumblefoot that I gave footbaths to almost every night for around 5 months. After the first few weeks she would squat ready to be picked up as I walked into the coop, and at the end of the bath I would hold my arm out and she would hop onto it to be carried back to her perch. She still didn't like to be picked up during the day, but she was virtually a 'lap chicken' in the evenings - very docile, and chatting to me as she had her treatment!

Long term use of peroxide could start to damage sensitive skin, so if it isn't making any visible difference then I would tend to stop it for the moment. Is the lump still the same colour? It looked very blue/black in the photos you posted - kind of like bruising from a very rapid swelling of the skin.

Good luck to you both - Galads is lucky to have someone like you to take care of her!

 

[Troppo Chick]

Day 4 of antibiotics - 50mg mix of ciprofloxacin crushed to a fine powder. Added teaspoons of water and administered through a plunger syringe in morning. Lump / swelling has significantly decreased. The lump is no longer hot to touch. Galads is in good spirits. Eating & drinking as normal.