Hen with abscess on her face??

[gladahmae]

Yesterday we noticed that one of our 2 year old hens has a large tumor/growth/abscess on the side of her face. It's pretty firm, appears to be scabbed, and she didn't like me touching it. She has no other symptoms (no runny nose, eye discharge, and she's still eating and drinking). And advice on whether I should treat or just cull? I will not be going to a vet or spending Lots of money. I need to treat this myself or she's getting culled.

 

[SillyChicken]

I would try to needle aspirate it first if nothing there, then lance it, if it doesn't work, you may end up culling anyway.. at least you tried. I think there was a thread on the turkey section about lancing sinuses.

 

[gladahmae]

Ok. I'll have to see what I have on-hand for needles/syringes for aspirating it. She doesn't *act* sick but it LOOKS awful.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Treat as though bumblefoot with iodine/sugar paste drawing salve and make a "mumps" bandage? Antibiotics. Penicillin injection probably best; i'd lance after a couple days of salve but you will need something to stop the bleeding. Seperate while bandaged so not pecked.

 

[Kassaundra]

Looks like an infection, most likely staff like bumble foot. I agree w/ fuzzybutt, treat like bumble foot, if you treat instead of cull she will most surely need antibiotics. Here in the south it could also be bot fly larva, but I don't think they are active as far north as you are, and if so not this time of year.

 

[Leahs Mom]

It looks like maybe she wounded it on something...maybe a sharp edge hardware cloth sticking out or something similar? Does it appear that it is a wound that has gotten infected?

If so, I've had a lot of luck with a product called NuStock in clearing up infection very quickly. Problem is that you have to order it online as I haven't seen it stocked anywhere. http://www.amazon.com/Durvet-001-0530-Nu-Stock-Ointment-12-Ounce/dp/B000HHSIYQ It has a very strong smell but really works. Anti-fungal as well. Good to have in the first aid kit.

That being said, if you're going to treat you need to do it before that would arrive. I agree with the others....lance to drain then treat with something antibiotic. Although it seems anti-intuitive, raw honey (not what you can get in the supermarket) is being used by physicians to treat antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections in surgical wounds with 100% results when antibiotics aren't working. If you have raw honey around you could use that as a dressing.

There are so many things I'd recommend you to have for a first aid kit so they're ready in such a situation. Susan Burek has some herbal remedies that I have stocked just recently. One of them is for wounds and the other for bumblefoot. Again, you need to do something before mail order would arrive. http://www.moonlightmileherbs.com/poultryherbcart2014.html

You might be able to go to a pet store and pick up some Vetericyn. It is just a Dakin's solution and you can make it yourself. But they do have one that is a thick gel that stays on a wound better. It would be used as a flush to clean it out and the gel type will stick on longer.

 

[Leahs Mom]

Here is a recipe for Dakin's solution:

http://woundconsultant.com/files/DakinsRecipe.pdf

And the strength for chickens:

Mix 1 Tablespoon household bleach and 1 teaspoon baking soda in 1 gallon of distilled water. Cap and shake the jug to mix.

Directions:
Flush the wound with the solution using a syringe or swab the wound with gauze moistened with the solution.

From: Chicken Health for Dummies


The iodine/sugar paste is good too if you have the iodine around. Use only CANE SUGAR..not beet sugar for this.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Why?

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Glad did you treat / cull? Any better?

 

[Leahs Mom]

@gladahmae

Yes, please update us.