Bump or blister on hen

[chippysmom]

I noticed my RIR hen had some poop on her back feathers, after a day or two I noticed she has this swollen spot, it's at the extreme end of her back, about an inch before her anus.
We were just keeping an eye on it, but now she is sitting down a lot and her abdomen is getting distended. Yesterday she laid an egg but ate it. I'm very worried because last year we had another RIR hen whose abdomen got bigger and bigger, then her organs came out her anus, we had to put her down.

Any thoughts? She does free range, and likes to go under the bird feeder to look for sunflower seeds.

 

[lynnR]

I may just be having a blonde moment here but I'm struggling to understand where exactly this lump is. Is it up on her back or under her tail? It kind of looks as if it's right on the tip of her Parson's nose. Am I right?

 

[FlyHigher]

If I were you, I would consider it as fowl pox first

 

[TeamChaos]

I must be looking at it wrong too- I see a normal, fleshy chicken tail w/ the gland.

 

[chippysmom]

Thanks for your help, everyone. I never heard of Parson's nose until I read your reply!

The lump is just ahead of where her long tail feathers stick up. I guess it would be the Parson's nose.

 

[lynnR]

I must be looking at it wrong too- I see a normal, fleshy chicken tail w/ the gland.

I was kind of thinking the same. But then again I don't spend much time looking at my birds preen gland and surrounding area.

 

[lynnR]

Just had a thought.......it's not a blocked preen gland by any chance?

 

[chippysmom]

I'll have to check out the other girls to see if they have it too. I first noticed it because it was pushing the feathers up a bit.