Cyst under chickens rear

[Liszis90]

My Rhode Island Red has had a cyst below are rectum for a while now, she seems to be laying and is totally fine apart from this ugly lump. I’ve given her an epsom salt bath and applied some iodine incase it’s a vent issue... anyone able to assist further?

 

[Brahma Chicken5000]

In that first picture it looks like the cyst is growing around a feather.

@casportpony @azygous @Texas Kiki @Eggcessive can you guys help?

 

[staceyj]

Did you feel inside?
Is it harder than fat or liquid-y?
Smooth or irregular?

I notice that she’s very pale despite you saying she’s currently laying...
Are you sure about that? If so I think her hemaglobin level might be very low or her cardiac output is poor or inefficient.

@Wyorp Rock
@casportpony
@dawg53
@sourland

 

[azygous]

I'm with @Brahma Chicken5000 in seeing the lump as a possible ingrown feather follicle. Look carefully and see if any feathers are making a "U" turn and growing back into the skin beside the follicle. Depending on the size of the lump, it could also be from a reproductive infection.

Could you please indicate the diameter of the lump? In the future, when you have a closeup photo that lacks context, placing a familiar item next to it such as a ruler or a pencil or a coin will give us an idea of the size.

I would put Blue-kote on the exposed pink skin to discourage the other chickens from picking at it and injuring the chicken.

 

[Liszis90]

There are some of what you just described... some black part that nearly look like in grown feathers... how should I treat?

I'm with @Brahma Chicken5000 in seeing the lump as a possible ingrown feather follicle. Look carefully and see if any feathers are making a "U" turn and growing back into the skin beside the follicle. Depending on the size of the lump, it could also be from a reproductive infection.

Could you please indicate the diameter of the lump? In the future, when you have a closeup photo that lacks context, placing a familiar item next to it such as a ruler or a pencil or a coin will give us an idea of the size.

I would put Blue-kote on the exposed pink skin to discourage the other chickens from picking at it and injuring the chicken.

here are

 

[Eggcessive]

It would probably be hard to tell exactly what it is without a vet. It could be a fluid filled cyst, or an ingrown feather cyst, or even cancer. You may want to disinfect the skin, and try to lance it or probe it with a sterilized needle to see what comes out when you squeeze it. Feather cysts usually have a feather inside with some solid pus matter.

 

[Liszis90]

Okay I’ll lance it and see what comes out, I have some antibiotics at home so I’ll give her some afterwards and make sure the area is sterile before and after.

It would probably be hard to tell exactly what it is without a vet. It could be a fluid filled cyst, or an ingrown feather cyst, or even cancer. You may want to disinfect the skin, and try to lance it or probe it with a sterilized needle to see what comes out when you squeeze it. Feather cysts usually have a feather inside with some solid pus matter.

kay w

 

[azygous]

You can also try taking tweezers or a sterile needle and gently tugging and poking at the dark spots that appear to be ingrown feathers. I had to do this a few times with feather-footed chickens. The ingrown feather will pop out like a jack-in-the-box with minimal tugging.

Once the feather is released from its imprisonment, I dab Blu-kote on it and it quickly heals. A larger area, which this appears to be, will require more time and treatment with cleansings and a topical antibiotic. That is, if this is a feather cyst.

 

[staceyj]

Okay I’ll lance it and see what comes out, I have some antibiotics at home so I’ll give her some afterwards and make sure the area is sterile before and after.

kay w

If you could snap a few photos during the process and post them I’d really appreciate it.

I’ve seen the inside of a hair follicle cyst in a dog but never a feather cyst in a chicken!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Could be the lighting, put it looks like fluid(?) in the middle? One spot is darker.

Look forward to photos when you lance it.