What is this?

[jjandm]

One of the little feral chickens that sleep in my yard has its face covered in some brown stuff (kind of looks like mud, but it is probably dried blood). It looks like some kind of infection and one eye is completely shut. It actually looks like all three of them are developing the same thing. I'm attaching a couple of pictures. Does anyone know what it is and what I could do?

Thank you all in advance!

 

[jjandm]

 

[Eggcessive]

It would be hard to know if it is from injury from fighting or a predator, or if she is sick with a respiratory infection, such as mycoplasma or coryza that has caused gunk in her eyes and swelling. I would try to determine which it is. Signs of a respiratory infection include sneeze or cough, rattly breathing, nasal secretions, watery or crusty eye drainage, and swelling around an eye. If they are feral, that can be attacked by almost anything--hawks, owls, raccoons, coyotes, possums, etc.

 

[jjandm]

Thank you very much for your reply and advise. From what I can tell, the eyes/face do not look swollen. What I am thinking is happening (although I can't be sure and still wouldn't know what is causing it) is that the chicken is itching (or is otherwise bothered) and is scratching his head raw. He is also plucking some of his feathers, as I have noticed some bald spots around his neck and under his wings. Last night I tried to soften and remove fhe brown crust on his face that is closing one of his eye shut, but it was too thick and hard. I also applied some coconut oil all over his head, face, and eye. I also sprayed them with water and some kind of helpful solution that a hatchery had given me to spray on my injured chicken and to put in its water. He did breathe making noises at one point, but I am thinking it is its nose is completely coated in the brown secretion that solidified all over his face. The two other chickens are not as bad as him, but they seem to be developing the same thing. His tail is also droopy, so I know he is sick. However, he still has a strong appetite for now. I looked at pictures of coryza and it doesn't look like this at all. Any other idea on what I could do to help???

Thank you so much again for your help!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

You could look for any tiny bugs (lice or mites) around th head and neck and around the vent and elsewhere. Nasal or eye drainage can crust up the face and head. There is one respiratory disease called ILT that causes bloody secretions that get slung around. All of these are just suggestions, since I am stumped as to what is wrong.

 

[jjandm]

Thank you so much again! I'm sure they have lice or mites, as all of fhe local feral chickens have them, but this seems to be something different that irritates them more (if this is, indeed, what is happening). I just don't know how to help them...

 

[Eggcessive]

Are you in the US where you can get some Tylan 50 injectable to use ORALLY. You will need syringes and needles 18 or 20 gauge because it is thick, to remove it from the vial, then remove the needles to give orally a drop at a time. Dosage is 1 ml for 5 pounds twice a day for 5 days. I'm not sure that you can get close that often though. You could slip it into food or treats such as chopped egg, and a spoonful of plain unsweetened yogurt for probiotics. I don't normally recommend antibiotics for an unkown illness, but this is kind of unusual.

 

[jjandm]

Hello again -

Yes, I am in the US, but I am not able to buy any antibiotics without a prescription. I was able to actually get rid of whatever this chicken had in its eye by cleaning the eye area with chamomile tea and by applying coconut oil. I started to apply coconut oil throughout its body, as I noticed several large bald patches. I thought he may have been irritated or infected, and thought the coconut oil might help on his skin as well. The dark stuff on his head/face is pretty much gone, and his affected eye seems to just be a little teary. However, the little guy is not doing well overall. He is incredibly smaller than his siblings, and he is till missing a lot of feathers. All of his unfeathered skin (i.e. face and bald patches) seem to be really dry and with a pale yellow crust. His appetite seems to be ok though, and he seems to be eating and drinking. Today I noticed him eating not as much as the other days, maybe, but he still ate. Unfortunately, I also noticed a new symptom, and that looks concerning to me. As he tries to walk, he lowers his head and walks backward, and you can tell that he is forced to do so, it is not intentional at all. Also, he steps on its own toes. He seems to want to sit a lot, and he has done so while extending its wing while sitting down somewhat on the side. From what I read, this seems to be a neurological symptom. His pupils seem to be ok. I am feeding him some three kinds of chicken feed I purchased from a local hatchery: one that is mix of corn and something else (they compared it to a cookie for a child, very good in taste and full of vitamins), one that is a triple of mix of vitamins, and a medicated feed. I have read somewhere prednisone could help. Poor little guy is not thriving at all, and I am not sure what to do. He is a feral chicken almost 3 months old. He looks very, very small, while his siblings are growing incredibly fast.

Thank you again for all your help and advise.

 

[jjandm]

 

[jjandm]

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