Hard Giant lump/tumour on comb. (?Lymphoid Leukosis)

[CluckerFamily]

I'm in Western Australia, Perth, in the inner city area. There are a couple of 'backyard chicken vets', and I've been going to a practice called 'Unusual Pet Vets' (been there once with another chicken). They see a lot of backyard chickens.
I'm getting my eggs tested privately at a lab.
I have family that do a little bit of chicken farming down south, but I have a feeling their answer will be the axe, and they would volunteer . I'm quite happy to help Crispy go a more relaxing way

I completely understand! All my flock members have names and they know their names, even if egg laying comes to a bare minimum; the chickens will live a happy old life.
You will know in your gut and heart when nothing can be done because you see too much pain or suffering, until then if they are fighting I will fight too. Sometimes culling is some people's first thought, I think it is less stress or worrying for them and a thought that if the chicken is suffering it is more humane to eliminate the suffering.
I had to put a rooster down last winter, he was in too much pain and had signs of no recovery. My brother-in-law happened to not be working that night so he culled him for me but I would've done it if he wasn't available.

 

[azygous]

Neoplasms (solid tumors just under the outer layer of tissue) on the head and neck occasionally occur with lymphoid leucosis. However, not all of these are malignant, even though they can be seen to grow consistently larger over time.

My eldest hen, a twelve-year old Brahma has had such a tumor on her head for half her life. It continues to grow, has caused blindness in the adjacent eye, but obviously it hasn't killed her by metastasizing.

LL is an avian virus that many chickens are able to develop resistence to and never show any symptoms, living out a long, otherwise healthy life span. Properly managed, LL doesn't mean you need to liquidate the flock, unless you wish to make that call.

 

[azygous]

This is Lady Di, my twelve-year old Brahma. She has a neoplasm over her right eye, and you can see it has extended down into the tissue surrounding the eye, whereas it began with a small lump above the eye many years ago. It doesn't appear to cause her pain, although the eye does become irritated on occasion. Flushing it with saline and applying a "pink eye" solution solves the problem, and she's then good to go.

Lady Di is still active and healthy and commands top rank in the flock of two dozen chickens. She's still very capable of laying down the law in spite of being blind in that eye. When it comes to treats, she usually gets hers in a secluded spot so she can take her time without the others driving her nuts by trying to eat her share before she can locate them.