Face Injury (not an emergency) - Looking for insight

[Acre4Me]

We have a 17 week legbar female. At some point several weeks (maybe 2 months ago) ago, she presented with a bloody area on the side of her face. Pecking is suspected, but not sure what attracted a bird to peck there - nothing was apparent to us. So, we doctored her, Kept her in a cage for observation overnight, then back to the flock. Repeat again about 2 weeks later (blood, doctor, release).

Then about 7-10 days ago, it happened again, so this time we have been keeping her in the cage at night bc we have a number of same age males we will auction off soon, but are jerks all around due to hormones/personality. Just in case they have been the perpetrators, we keep her in during the hours of high flock activity (morning when they are first let out, and after about 5pm, when they are gorging for the evening and the head rooster is inside and not protecting the younger - not yet laying- juveniles). Also, her wound is red, so we don't want her to have unnecessary attention. There had been a dark scab there, but someone pecked it off 7-10 days ago. We use betadine, then neosporin ointment - 2x per day. We put her in the run with everyone during the day so she does not become an unknown "new" bird. So far this has been a good routine.

So, her wound is definitely healing. But, I'm concerned that it is still a lump. Will this go away? Also, she has a bad left eye (seen in last photo), so this injury is on the side of her good eye. Anything further we can do to improve the wound or speed the process?

Bad Eye: the upper part is deformed and she cannot close her eye. I suspect a hatching issue, like shell got stuck or something. The eye is opaque, or maybe that one membrane isn't functioning and stays over her eye.

 

[ValerieJ]

She has had the bad eye since birth? Did you get her as a chick? If you cannot put her in an adjacent run so she can be near the flock but not with them, then I suggest using Blue Kote because chickens are drawn to red. If she were my chicken, I would not put her in with the others until she was healed, but I'm lucky because I have an adjacent run and coop set up for that purpose. Hope she gets better soon. Is it possible to get her to a vet? A vet may be able to do something about the bad eye, such as suture it closed or something, and also tell you why there is a lump where she has been injured. There may be an abscess going on there and you wouldn't want to leave that unattended.

 

[Acre4Me]

Thanks. Bad eye since birth. Also flock hasn’t been pecking her when we put her in with them during the day, but removing her at night, so we hat has been working for us. Vet is not an option-no one nearby to take her to, plus, the wound doesn’t look infected, nor full of puss. We are just looking to see what others may have to say on her and her wound, etc.

 

[ValerieJ]

Thanks. Bad eye since birth. Also flock hasn’t been pecking her when we put her in with them during the day, but removing her at night, so we hat has been working for us. Vet is not an option-no one nearby to take her to, plus, the wound doesn’t look infected, nor full of puss. We are just looking to see what others may have to say on her and her wound, etc.

I understand about the vet. I don't have one around here either. So, thank goodness for BYC!!! I do think the lump looks like there is something going on under the skin. Hopefully someone who has some experience with that will come and join the conversation. Hoping the best for your chicken!

 

[Acre4Me]

I understand about the vet. I don't have one around here either. So, thank goodness for BYC!!! I do think the lump looks like there is something going on under the skin. Hopefully someone who has some experience with that will come and join the conversation. Hoping the best for your chicken!

I’m hoping it will get better. The lump hasn’t gone away, which is what I’m hoping for, but no puss evident, so I’m not sure if it’s going to take longer to heal. Maybe I can do something additional to help or maybe it just really takes awhile to get better.

 

[ValerieJ]

I’m hoping it will get better. The lump hasn’t gone away, which is what I’m hoping for, but no puss evident, so I’m not sure if it’s going to take longer to heal. Maybe I can do something additional to help or maybe it just really takes awhile to get better.

I have not had to deal with a lump yet. But, I have read that puss on a chicken is not like it is on us. It is actually kind of thick, almost solid, not liquid like on us or on a cat for example.

 

[townchicks]

That looks like an ulcerated tumor to me. It may also be an infection. Chicken pus is thick and cheesy, and they tend to wall it off. Not sure what you can do, without a vet.