Abscess below vent or just poop PICTURE ADDED

[zowieyellowflame]

Hello, I have a hen with a dirty bottom with a quarter sized black circle that is raised with an excavated centre. It is smooth and half an inch below her vent on bare skin. Besides that, her bottom feathers are covered in poop. I think it is dried poop, my husband thinks it is a rotten area or abscess. I will try to take a pic tonight but in the am we have to go away for a couple days. Her face, waddles and comb look poorly. Her feathers are in good shape. Might this be worms? This is my second sick hen. I am feeling overwhelmed.

 

[Kasia]

It does sound like an abscess. A picture would help figuring out what to do. When I have a chicken that gets poop on the feathers around the vent area, I usually clip the feathers and give them a bath to clean them up.

 

[zowieyellowflame]

Here is an image.
Abscess or poop? Been there for several days and we are going away this weekend!!! Don't know what to do! Cull?

 

[OregonChickenGal]

Looks like real dark poop to me. Have you tried soaking it to see if it will come off?

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
x 2

 

[zowieyellowflame]

No, I have not tried. I was afraid it was abcess, I didn't want to make it worse. My husband thinks it is too much stress. I wanted to try that this morning. Oh darn. Now what to do? I guess I could try in the am. If I soak a chicken do I have to dry it with a hair dryer?

 

[dawg53]

If you have a couple of old wash cloths...use one for soaking with warm water for about 10 minutes and use the other one to dry her rear. No need for a hair dryer.

 

[zowieyellowflame]

Thanks dawg! I just soaked "Green Egg Layer's" rear and I was able to slowly pry the piece off.... it was poop but it was kind of embedded and causing the skin underneath to umm... fester? I soaked it for long enough that I did not have to force it off, it just slowly came off with a slight amount of prying. The skin underneath is whitish and a bit oozy which worries me because it is just below her vent. I put rubbing alcohol on a tissue and held it for a moment then I put a generous dab of polysporin on the area. I also cut away the dirty poop feathers, to allow air. I will add another dab of poly in the am. Hope she will be ok!!! Why the dirty butt? Worms you think with this one too?

 

[dawg53]

I dont know whether she'd have worms or not. I've had instances where poop gets stuck on their butt or in their feathers or both. I've had to soak and use scissors to cut thru it with no problems. Dont use any more alcohol on the area in question. you said it's whitish and oozing a little...squeeze that crap out of there and try and get it all out til you see just blood. Then pack it with your polysporin.

 

[zowieyellowflame]

Not oozy as in white pus, just oozy as in wet. Like if you have a fly bite and you pick the scab.... but bigger of course. Why no rubbing alcohol?