My dad thinks it's a brain tumor... - Page 2

I havent had any on a chicken, but they are common on obese male pet rats...

Is it open or closed?

If closed are you 100% sure its an abscess?

if its open I'd use peroxide at the top applied with a q-tip to keep it open, and chlorodexine solution to clean- to debride the abscess you would need tools and a strong stomach- I usually got help for that.

usually they get bigger and 'head' unless its a 'deep tissue abscess' which is another creature entirely...

Is it hard or squishy?

If its full of fluid you need to make a little hole and let it (force it) to drain out.

I posted in the other thread:

http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=532661

Peroxide isn't good to use on open wounds, it kills the tissue.... Is it possible to post a pic of the bird to give us an idea on whats going on so we can help you more on what to do?

Actually peroxide works by killing (lycing) any rapidly dividing cells, only the tissue that is trying to grow would be effected, and any nasty bacteria...

its only use in this case would be to keep the abscess open so a worse infection cannot set in... as in the best case senerio it heals from the inside out.

A hard mass I agree- don't open it.

Cells don't have to be alive for peroxide to lyse them. The foaming most associate with killing of bacteria is actually due to the catalase found in red blood cells which are present in open wounds. This is why it does not foam on your skin's surface, but will foam up if you put a drop of blood into a glass of hydrogen peroxide.

It kills everything regardless of its rate of cell cycling, or heath state. It kills because it is a strong oxidizer.