Chicken have Bad Breath? Look Closer.

[2theDogz]

Sharing this hoping it may help others tr prevent or treat serious respiratory issues.
Over my chicken keeping years, I've had a few birds develop a nasty odor in their mouths. Investigation revealed a buildup of pus in their palates. They displayed no other respiratory symptoms such as watery eyes, sneezing, etc. Left untreated though, those symptoms are very likely to follow.
Here's a quick summary of how I approach the problem. Note, I'm not a vet, nor have I consulted with one on this probem, and have found little to no information online. Just one of the many things I've learned as I go along:

If you notice a foul odor from your birds mouth, check for any mucus or pus. See first pic of an affected palette. Pus is hard and not easily accessed. I dissolve a small amount of Epsom salt in warm water, dip a paper towel in the water then squeeze a small amount into the nostrils. Do this a few times with a break in between to allow bird to swallow/clear any drainage. This helps to soften/loosen the obstruction.
CAREFULLY manipulate the pus with a q-tip or blunt tweezer. It may dislodge as a whole, or break into pieces. There may be a little mucus &/or blood behind it. Once clear, gently flush again with the Epsom water.
Continue with the flushes 1-2× daily. If it doesn't clear up within a few days, treat with homeopathic or conventional meds as you would a respiratory infection.
Takeaway from this: Check your birds' breath occasionally. You may be surprised what you find before they begin acting sick.

 

[nuthatched]

Are You sure that's not canker or thrush?

 

[Eggcessive]

Canker does smell bad. Coryza also smells bad, but causes other symptoms. It is good that you have been able to manage this with your method. If you ever can visit a vet with another pet, you could ask your vet to look at a sample of the gunk, to see if it is canker (trichomoniasis) a protozoan disease. Here is some reading about it:
https://poultrydvm.com/condition/canker
Many people use acidified copper sulfate in their waterers (1/4 tsp per gallon of water) for 3 days a month when they have canker in the flock. Here is where to buy it:
https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/acidified_copper_sulfate.html

 

[2theDogz]

Are You sure that's not canker or thrush?

Without analysis I can't say. I've had a couple of birds get ear canker, but checking their palates, they were clear. That was a challenge to eradicate.
There are no other areas of pus in birds with affected palates & it clears much more easily. Probably reasonable to assume it's the same thing, just manifesting differently.

 

[2theDogz]

Canker does smell bad. Coryza also smells bad, but causes other symptoms. It is good that you have been able to manage this with your method. If you ever can visit a vet with another pet, you could ask your vet to look at a sample of the gunk, to see if it is canker (trichomoniasis) a protozoan disease. Here is some reading about it:
https://poultrydvm.com/condition/canker
Many people use acidified copper sulfate in their waterers (1/4 tsp per gallon of water) for 3 days a month when they have canker in the flock. Here is where to buy it:
https://www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/acidified_copper_sulfate.html

Thanks for the link. I'll order some. Recently ordered metronidazole powder to treat ear canker in another bird. Would love to add a preventative whether this is or isn't the same thing.