Help, eye bump!

[Dubie]

I have a hen in my flock of 4 that has developed a large bump under her right eye. Pics attached. Doesn't seem to bother her as of yet, eating and behaving normally. My vet wants $100 just for an office visit. Any assistance so I can avoid the vet would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

[dawg53]

Any signs of wheezing, sneezing, runny nostrils, head shaking, gurgling or eye discharges? These are symptoms of a respiratory disease.
By her looks in the pics, your hen doesnt have a respiratory disease. Correct me if I'm wrong.
Most likely she has been pecked real hard under her eye and it has swelled up, like a boil. It's like water on the knee. You can use a syringe with needle to lance it on the bottom of the boil.
Clear liquid should gush out (maybe with a tiny bit of blood,) but if it's slow, gently mash the boil in a downward motion forcing the water out of the hole at the bottom. Once the pressure is relieved, apply a little neosporin to the hole. Done.
Make sure you pierce through the skin and into the boil, it might be tough at first but continue pushing and be careful not to go deeper than you should which may cause grave harm.
I've done this procedure before except the boil was above the left eye and had to go into the eye, up and inside the nictitating membrane to lance it. I dont believe you'll have to actually go into the eye like I did. Before and after pics below.

 

[Dubie]

Thanks for the great info. I got a 8mm syringe from CVS and poked it several times. Only little droplets of blood came out and squeezing it did nothing. Should I try lancing with a sterilized razor blade or something?

 

[April’s Zoo]

Does the lump feel hard like a marble is under there, or is it more like a blister?

If it is not rock hard, then I agree, I think it is likely an abscess... could be from another hen, or she could’ve run into a bit of wire or something. Or gotten bit by an insect, even. For an abscess, I don’t think you need to go to the vet at this point. It’s a pretty simple thing to lance.

If it’s an abscess, or even a boil, what is going to come out is more likely to be pus than clear liquid. Might be watery, or it might be thick. If it’s thick, you may need to enlarge the opening using a larger needle, or use the tip of a sterilized exacto knife to make a tiny slit. You can sterilize whatever implements you use in a alcohol bath, as long as it’s 91% isopropyl alcohol (the stuff from the dollar store is 50-70%)...
Be sure to clean the skin well before lancing it.— preferably with alcohol, on a q-tip maybe, to avoid getting any in her eye.
{If you have a strong stomach, you can look on you tube— just use the search term “lance”— the procedure is the same on an animal as on a human. Be prepared, though, to see a lot of pus... }

I’d recommend getting someone to help you hold the chicken— cause she is not going like this one bit, I promise. Wrap a towel around her pretty firmly with only her head out.... if possible, even wrap her so that her legs and feet are tight up against her body like when she is sitting, so she can’t kick and scratch whoever’s holding her. (If you’ve ever swaddled a newborn infant — baby-burrito style — it’s the same idea) She’s not gonna be crazy about you wrapping her either, so just do your best.
[I think I would be tempted to do all this at night when she’d be tired and ready to sleep anyway— in part so she’d maybe be more compliant, but that’s also when my best ‘chicken-holder”, erm... husband, would be home to help me.]

If the bump comes back the next day or two after, it will need re-lanced, and also flushed, so as to clean out all the infection more thoroughly. Post back if you need help for that.

Alternatively, you could wait for it to burst on its own, and then it’ll drain by itself... (could try warm compresses a couple times a day, to make it come to a head more quickly) but then you’ll definitely need to flush it out. Waiting is gonna be more painful for the chicken though until it resolves., and the others will almost certainly peck at it if it’s all open and raw after bursting.... it’s not really in a place you can bandage easily to protect it.

Either way, it’s going to be .....

Good luck....
let us know what happens.

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree with others in that it may be a peck wound abscess, but occasionally we see threads about tumors or cysts on the face. How does it feel—firm, hard, soft, or puffy? That is a common place for a sinus infection to cause swelling, but it looks more defined like an abscess or tumor. How long has it been there?

 

[Dubie]

I wouldn't say it's hard like a marble but it is firm. Been around for about a week and a half.

 

[dawg53]

Thanks for the great info. I got a 8mm syringe from CVS and poked it several times. Only little droplets of blood came out and squeezing it did nothing. Should I try lancing with a sterilized razor blade or something?

Ok, that means there's something solid, possibly cheesy looking pus. You can take her to a vet or you can open it up with a exacto knife or razor blade by making a small slit and removing the cheesy infection. Flush with betadine then pack it with neosporin or triple antibiotic ointment. April's Zoo gives good advice and it needs to be removed.
Then observe her for a few days for any swelling around the area. If so, she'll need amoxicillin. Here's where you can buy it:
https://www.revivalanimal.com/product/fish-mox/all-pet-supplies-medications-bird-fish-antibiotics

 

[Dubie]

The deed has been done. See pics. I lanced with razor blade and it popped right out. Then flushed with betadine and covered in Neosporin. Will continue to Neosporin often. Thanks fir all the help everyone.

 

[dawg53]

The deed has been done. See pics. I lanced with razor blade and it popped right out. Then flushed with betadine and covered in Neosporin. Will continue to Neosporin often. Thanks fir all the help everyone.

Great job!