Chicken with swollen ear - What do I do?! *HELP PLEASE*

[Aeropennchick]

Hi guys,


I noticed today that one of my two month old buff orps has a swollen ear! I almost missed it because she wasn't acting weird or anything. No breathing problems, no evidence of mites. I guess it is possible she was pecked, although I don't see any injury or scabs. Doesn't look like there is any junk in the ear canal, either. Also nothing in the rest of my chickens.


Here are a few pics:





Any ideas? Thanks!

 

[Aeropennchick]

Also this may be unrelated, but I noticed some greyish discoloration on the combs of three of my production reds -



My husband says the first chick probably just banged his ear flying out of the coop like a bat out of hell in the morning...but I am so worried I'm missing something here!

 

[Aeropennchick]

When I checked on the chicks at bedtime, I thought the ear looked a little less swollen, but still definitely noticeable. Have any of your guys seen this sort of thing before?? Sorry to be a pest but I don't want to miss the chance to stop a problem from getting worse.

 

[alycewarren]

My chicken has a swollen ear also...it's gotten worse, huge! Started antibiotics and they seem to be helping...any suggestions?

 

[Smoochie]

Sounds like an ear infection. I would start antibiotics..

 

[SilkiesForEver]

I agree with smoochie. Check to see if there is any visible "junk" in their ears, if they do or don't, still start them on antibiotics.
Good luck!!

 

[alycewarren]

Update on 'Birdie': I just had her put down. The antibiotics didn't help, she was getting worse. The other ear was starting to swell and she began shaking her head frequently. The vet felt she might have had a form of Marek's Disease. It's possible, I don't know the history of Birdie, she came to me as a rescue chicken, someone was about to release her in an off leash dog park! She did have slightly deformed claws but seemed healthy otherwise, until this showed. She had been kept in her own coop since the other chickens didn't accept her...so glad for that now. As the vet said, at least she had a short but good life and the end was better than originally it would have been in the off-leash park.

 

[SilkiesForEver]

Update on 'Birdie': I just had her put down. The antibiotics didn't help, she was getting worse. The other ear was starting to swell and she began shaking her head frequently. The vet felt she might have had a form of Marek's Disease. It's possible, I don't know the history of Birdie, she came to me as a rescue chicken, someone was about to release her in an off leash dog park! She did have slightly deformed claws but seemed healthy otherwise, until this showed. She had been kept in her own coop since the other chickens didn't accept her...so glad for that now. As the vet said, at least she had a short but good life and the end was better than originally it would have been in the off-leash park.

Oh. I'm so sorry. I'm pretty sure she had a much, much, much better life when you got her.