Help needed for hen with large bleeding tumor on back

[dustbath]

Help! Yesterday I discovered one of my hens covered in blood, with a large wound on her back. I bandaged her and today took her to the vet who diagnosed a squamous-cell (sp?) tumor, basically an enormous skin tumor, that had ruptured. He gave me a spray that will granulate the tumor over time and instructed me to bandage it and cover her entire body in a sock (he have me some) used for horses' legs. That way she can't pick at it.

I've done that and have her in a separate crate from the others. But she really doesn't look good. She's standing around, looking as if she's falling asleep.

Does anyone have any experience with this? Will she recover?

Help!!

 

[JennsPeeps]

Has she been eating & drinking?

She probably feels lousy. Give her pedialyte and boiled e-g-g-s to eat, plus some oatmeal or chicken feed you've mixed with yogurt.

She could also be lonely. Chickens are flock animals. Put the calmest hen you've got with her and see how they do.

Good luck & keep us posted!

 

[bunch-a-chickens]

ive had enough experience in sick chickens to know, if it seems like it could end their life slowly, and they(if she is) getting any worse, its best to end it quickly. thats as nice and simple as i can put a deadly(if it is) chicken matter. and yes this harsh saying will be posted, its just a chicken. it can be easily and quickly replaced(as far as having A chicken goes) i realize it wouldnt be THAT chicken. if it is not a life or death matter though, sorry i cant be of further assistance

 

[dustbath]

Thanks for the suggestions on food. I'll try tomorrow. She didn't seem to be eating or drinking today.

The vet didn't seem to think her condition was necessarily terminal. He did say that most people wouldn't treat a chicken with a tumor, because people generally don't, and therefore he doesn't have experience with this condition in poultry.

 

[dlhunicorn]

When a bird is ill it will often stop eating and drinking... you need to address the drinking issue first... dehydration will kill your bird quicker than that which is originally ailing.
Put electrolytes in the water (a common brand is Durvet)...
offer a live culture (plain not flavored) yogurt free choice and try a few mealworms (not "wild" ones but farmed that you buy at the bait shop) on top of her feed to encourage her to eat.

 

[dustbath]

THanks!

She seems better today. She was eating her regular feed when I peeked in on her this morning. I let her for a bit and she scratched around and ate leaves, etc.

 

[dustbath]

Update:

she's much better. The vet gave me an enzyme spray that is supposed to reduce the tumor. The only problem is that it doesn't seem to be getting smaller. It's formed a hard crust over the top and I'm not sure it's penetrating.

Does anyone else have any experience with this?

Also, do you think I could put her in with one rooster? She and he both seem lonely.

 

[speckledhen]

I wouldn't put her in with a rooster with that wound. He may rip it open mating her.

 

[dustbath]

Ok. I'll keep her separate.