Swollen scabs under beak

[BlueJaye]

So my little pullet, has these swollen areas under her beak on either side which are rather scabby and any scratching at it pulls up some peeling. The black on top of the beak is new as well, and can be scraped off every two days or so. These photos are after messing with her. She also gets yellow crusty things in the corners of her mouth every day. Once we get rid of them, they are gone until the next day. Nothing seen in the mouth, and nothing new behavior wise.

 

[Pozees]

I don't know what it is but I would probably worm the flock and start all on one of the tetracycline antibiotics you can buy at Big R or similar feed store, followed by daily servings of probiotics (plain yogurt) for a week to re-establish good gut flora. I have no idea what it is or whether it's contagious, and if you don't want to use chemicals/antibiotics I would keep her separate from the rest and keep an eye on them. Some things take a while to work through the flock. Have you checked under wings and around head and vent for creepy crawlies? Is she still eating and drinking? Any possibility of brown recluse or black widow spiders in the coop? Shooting from the hip here, I really don't know what it is but it would worry me. Many would simply cull to remove potential risk to the rest of the flock. You can contact someone at CSU if she's still the same on Monday - ask for Kristy Pabilonia or Sarah Millonig, they are with the NPIP program.

Sorry I have nothing specific. It could be as basic as a failing heart resulting in fluid buildup.

 

[Mtn Margie]

How about Fowl Pox? That has scabs associated with it and also black spots. Usually on the comb and such, but maybe it is just getting started.

http://chickenheavenonearth.weebly.com/fowl-pox-symptoms--treatments.html

 

[BlueJaye]

I don't know what it is but I would probably worm the flock and start all on one of the tetracycline antibiotics you can buy at Big R or similar feed store, followed by daily servings of probiotics (plain yogurt) for a week to re-establish good gut flora. I have no idea what it is or whether it's contagious, and if you don't want to use chemicals/antibiotics I would keep her separate from the rest and keep an eye on them. Some things take a while to work through the flock. Have you checked under wings and around head and vent for creepy crawlies? Is she still eating and drinking? Any possibility of brown recluse or black widow spiders in the coop? Shooting from the hip here, I really don't know what it is but it would worry me. Many would simply cull to remove potential risk to the rest of the flock. You can contact someone at CSU if she's still the same on Monday - ask for Kristy Pabilonia or Sarah Millonig, they are with the NPIP program.

Sorry I have nothing specific. It could be as basic as a failing heart resulting in fluid buildup.

She doesn't have any bugs that I've seen. She is 5 days into a Duramycin treatment. Can I do a wormer at the same time?
She is still eating and drinking. There's a slight possibility of a spider, but it's a new coop, so I kind of doubt it.
She's a pet and I love her a lot, so I wouldn't consider culling and the failing heart scares me! :-(

 

[BlueJaye]

How about Fowl Pox? That has scabs associated with it and also black spots. Usually on the comb and such, but maybe it is just getting started.

http://chickenheavenonearth.weebly.com/fowl-pox-symptoms--treatments.html

She really only has the black spots on her beak around her nostrils, and it comes off with a fingernail, almost like dirt. And no bumps on her body or in her mouth.

 

[Pozees]

I read through the basic poultry diseases (used a link on the page Mtn Margie posted, that's a good one!) and really nothing is jumping out at me. She isn't sneezing and has no discharge from the nostrils? Or maybe the black spots you can scratch away is dried discharge? If so possibly respiratory infection, so Duramycin should treat it. Normal stool?

 

[BlueJaye]

I read through the basic poultry diseases (used a link on the page Mtn Margie posted, that's a good one!) and really nothing is jumping out at me.  She isn't sneezing and has no discharge from the nostrils?  Or maybe the black spots you can scratch away is dried discharge?  If so possibly respiratory infection, so Duramycin should treat it.  Normal stool?

She isn't sneezing, but she does have discharge from her nose which I think is what the black stuff is. She does have normal stool. She just opens her mouth every time she takes a breath... Could that be from the upper resp? Or from having too long a beak and her mouth can't close all the way? How long should she be on duramycin to really work?

 

[Pozees]

She is opening her beak to breathe because of the respiratory infection, in all likelihood. Standard treatment is 7-10 days, but she should show improvement by day 4. Did the package tell you how much to use? I know last time I did any reading about antibiotics that are water soluble, I read that they work better if replaced every 12 hours and kept out of the sun (not much of a concern right now, I know LOL).

 

[BlueJaye]

What is "improvement" considered at this point? She is still breathing the same but may be ever-so-slightly more active. I am giving her the max recommended dosage for poultry that it said on the bag, and we replace the water every 12 hours, and since she's living in my bathroom, isn't seeing the sun. Today is day 6...

 

[Pozees]

What is "improvement" considered at this point? She is still breathing the same but may be ever-so-slightly more active. I am giving her the max recommended dosage for poultry that it said on the bag, and we replace the water every 12 hours, and since she's living in my bathroom, isn't seeing the sun. Today is day 6...

Improvement I look for is more active, more chatty when you go in to see her, eating and drinking more, and in this case less indication her nose is running.