Hen going downhill. Please Help!!!!!! (Photos now added)

Didn't even get a chance to look at the list myself, but I'm certainly not complaining!!!!
Thanks Compostqueen  .

We'll take some photos to our local chicken expert later today who is at the place where we buy their pellets ect. and see what he thinks.
If he says we should take Sooty to the vets, I've now got many to choose from!! :happy: :happy:

as Aunt Sally hasn't logged on so far this morning (she was on here very late last night) I would when you go to the vets also mention along with the other ideas Pasteurellosis, some of the symptoms include swollen and cyannotic wattles and face, loss of appetite, swollen joints, dejection etc.
Treatment is from either tetracyclines, erythromycin, strptomycin or penicillin. the illness can flare up again after treatment stops so regular periodic medication may be needed. The bacterium are easily distroyed by disinfectants but may linger in the soil.
The vet will need to do swabs to see just which illness she has but the sooner you get there the quicker the results 

We took the photos to the expert and he said she has staphylococcal and will need to see a vet for a baytril injecton.

The vet was (thankfully) able to give us a quick appointment.
He said Sooty has scaly leg mite, which has affected her comb and wattles ect. and has staphylococcal.

He gave Sooty a baytril injection and we now have to give her 0.5ml of it daily.
The vet also prescribed benzyl benzoate, which deals with scaly leg mite.

I'm glad the vet was able to squeeze us in today and hopefully Sooty will start to look better soon! :happy: :happy:

staphylococcal is bumble foot, however I have never heard nor read of scaly leg mites causing a problem with the comb and wattles so I would be inclined to still ask for swabs and tests.

If she responds to antibiotics then presumably she won't need swabs. Certainly in humans there is usually no need to swab infective sites unless they do not respond to first line treatments.
Staph aureus bacteria can colonise and cause infection in any susceptible area.

I don't disagree with your suggestion about swabs Joy however feel that they are usually appropriate if antibiotics don't work (which I believe is the case with your chooks) Also I am sure you would agree that the need for swabs should never delay initiating treatment in an ill chicken.
Jane

swabs would at least tell you just what the infection is for certain whilst on the antibiotics.
I take it that you have found a vet that does understand about poultry illnesses then and not a domestic pets vet?

I have read that you can get scaly leg mite on combs but never seen any pics of it, so thanks for posting pics  With so many feathered legged birds that are prone to scaly leg its good to know what to look out for

Quote from: joyfull on July 16, 2010, 12:19

I take it that you have found a vet that does understand about poultry illnesses then and not a domestic pets vet?

He said as soon as he looked at her what she has and which treatment she should have.
We asked if he often treats chickens and he said he treats lots of them. He seems a very trustworthy chap

Would you not think that in this day and age, with more and more people keeping chickens, that vets would have more knowledge of them? Give them a tarantula or an iguana, they're all over it, a common chicken, no chance....and I live in the country!!