Swollen tongue. Cant eat or drink. Whats wrong?

[Ljwilkerson]

Has she eaten any contaminated water or food? Any history on the bird? Any other symptoms?

Not to my knowledge. She's only around 5 weeks old. No other symptoms

 

[CHlCKEN]

That looks incredibly painful. If after a week this doesn't begin to heal I would just put her out of her misery.

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you think that she was bitten or stung by something? How is she being kept? Tongues can swell and block off the throat and airway. With the blood, I would suspect an injury. Can you call your regular vet or get her there for emergency care? They might give her something like an anti-inflammatory drug, such as metacam or even prednisolone, to help the swelling go down. I would offer water and mushy watery food.

 

[sourland]

Any possibility that something is wrapped around her tongue? She appears to be cross beaked - did that just happen or has she always been like that?

 

[turkey girl 0964]

Do you think that she was bitten or stung by something?

Very well could be.

 

[GermanKennhuhn]

Was something wrapped around her beak and tongue? I can’t tell if her beak is cracked or if something was wrapped around it.

 

[Ljwilkerson]

Any possibility that something is wrapped around her tongue? She appears to be cross beaked - did that just happen or has she always been like that?

It just happened

 

[Ljwilkerson]

Do you think that she was bitten or stung by something? How is she being kept? Tongues can swell and block off the throat and airway. With the blood, I would suspect an injury. Can you call your regular vet or get her there for emergency care? They might give her something like an anti-inflammatory drug, such as metacam or even prednisolone, to help the swelling go down. I would offer water and mushy watery food.

I've been watering her with a syringe and she has gotten anti-inflammatory drugs. Her tongue is now black but she is active and vocal

 

[Peas4Ducks]

Is it possible she has a string wrapped around the back of her tongue? That could explain the blood. And apparently it’s not super uncommon: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-fowl-pox-an-important-lesson-learned.820508/

 

[GermanKennhuhn]

Is it possible she has a string wrapped around the back of her tongue? That could explain the blood. And apparently it’s not super uncommon: https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...-fowl-pox-an-important-lesson-learned.820508/

It’s happened to one of my chickens before. The tongue swelled (although not as big as the OP’s chick) and turned bluish.