Hi there, my chicken has a swelling on her cheek and it’s causing her some distress can anyone please advise me?
It’s really uncommon to see non-plant-stuff here, but I’ll try to help you.
My first reaction was “Go to the vet”, but I think, as harsh as it sounds, for the cost of one visit you can buy 100 more egg-laying dinosaurs… So, this only an option if the chicken has a big emotional value to you.
I think the best option is to buy both a desinfecting, and then use a wound-healing ointment, both from the pharmacy.
For disinfecting stuff, you can buy something based on iodine or silver for example. Do not use alcohol or stuff like that!
And for wound healing, you can use something based on panthenol, with a neutral carrier.Keep her out of the sun, and treat + check her multiple times daily.
If that still doesn’t help, consider antibiotics from the vet, but that will be way more expensive.
Ok, that sounds reasonable, thank you. I don’t think she will be going to the vet unless my daughter decides she wants to help considerably with the bill as it’s her hen.
I’ll try your suggestion and see how it goes.
Isolation with separate food/water for a little bit is a good idea. Other hens will peck at wounds. I’d observe behavior to see if she’s sneezing or any other indication of sickness.
Thank you, I’ll isolate her right away and hunt down some suitable disinfectant.
Sometimes other birds will peck at a wound on one hen, so separate this bird from the others for a few days. Then, you could try sterilizing a needle and using that to lance it, then clean it out with disinfectant designed for animals and let it drain. She’ll just wipe ointments off on her body feathers and dirty it again. Is the hen eating and drinking normally? What do you mean "some distress " ? Can you be more specific?
Thanks for the input.
She seems to be wandering around, eating and drinking. When I found her that morning she was alone on a roost and rubbing it almost constantly on her shoulder
Eating and drinking is a good sign. She’s probably trying to pop it by rubbing it against stuff. Good luck, keep us updated!
