At a loss

[postalgirl67]

I’m at a loss as to what this is above my hens eye. It was small (first pic) and within 5 days it was larger (second pic)I’m wondering if it’s possibly a spider bite? She’s eating and drinking

Any thoughts would be helpful. Has vet appt on Monday

 

[HeatherKellyB]

@dawg53
@Eggcessive
@Wyorp Rock
@aart
@azygous

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Not sure what that is, but cancer comes to mind. Hopefully the vet will be able to tell you more.

 

[RosemaryDuck]

I'll chime in before the others answer. I would clean it out very well and see if there's any pus inside. It looks like either a very bad infection (from either a bite, peck/etc) or a tumor of some kind.

Flush it with chlorhexidine, betadine or vetericyn and if there is any pus inside get it all out. Pack with Neosporin (no pain killer) and keep it very clean. Do not get any of the antiseptics or cream in her eye.

If there isn't anything inside, I would leave it be. It could be cancerous. Definitely see an avian or farm vet if you can. Hope she gets better soon!

 

[Eggcessive]

If you find out what that lesion is, perhaps from a necropsy, or a vet, let us know what was suspected. Here is a similar type lesion, although it was not identified:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/large-skin-lesion.581574/

 

[azygous]

My guess is a skin cancer if it's solid and firm. More specifically, it may be an avian keratoacanthoma, a lesser form of squamous cell skin cancer. It's not very likely to metastasize.

I have a hen with a growing tumor over her eye that she's had half her life. She's thirteen.

 

[Banana01]

Poor thing. Coconut oil on the wound is the best natural antibiotic I have found. Although it looks like a spider, you know spiders can't actually bite, they need to be pressed against the skin for their fangs to puncture, usually through clothes or boots or pressing against a spider only then can they cause a bite. So a bite seems extremely unlikely to a chickens head.

I'm guessing she is scratching at the wound and agitating it, but even then it looks dry, but painful.

I personally would welcome a vets opinion but I would not let him touch it. It just looks like the type of wound to leave alone since there isn't anything really to clean or pus or blood or dirt etc. Just looks super painful and even necrotizing. Almost like a flesh eating bacteria, which is deadly.

 

[casportpony]

You have been given some good advice on what it might be and how to clean it. If a vet is an option, please do have a vet take a look.

 

[Banana01]

I’m at a loss as to what this is above my hens eye. It was small (first pic) and within 5 days it was larger (second pic)I’m wondering if it’s possibly a spider bite? She’s eating and drinking

Any thoughts would be helpful. Has vet appt on Monday

I want to see her recover, but Monday is late for vet appt, that's over three days away. Can get her in to the vet tomorrow? Maybe tell him you suspect it is an emergency that has already been five days and requires an antibiotic injection to try to let you in sooner.

If it is a MRSA/staph or strepp bacterial infection, it requires special antibiotic treatment and time is critical. From what I read MRSA require injecting antibiotics, and not all antibiotics work.

Also to me it looks like she can recover so hopefully you don't let anyone talk you into to putting her down, even if you have to wait to Monday.

 

[postalgirl67]

Poor thing. Coconut oil on the wound is the best natural antibiotic I have found. Although it looks like a spider, you know spiders can't actually bite, they need to be pressed against the skin for their fangs to puncture, usually through clothes or boots or pressing against a spider only then can they cause a bite. So a bite seems extremely unlikely to a chickens head.

I'm guessing she is scratching at the wound and agitating it, but even then it looks dry, but painful.

I personally would welcome a vets opinion but I would not let him touch it. It just looks like the type of wound to leave alone since there isn't anything really to clean or pus or blood or dirt etc. Just looks super painful and even necrotizing. Almost like a flesh eating bacteria, which is deadly.

She has a vet appt on Monday. That was the soonest I could get it