How to deal with abscess?

[HappyClucker7]

One of my hens has an abscess on the underside of her chin (do chickens have chins?). I've tried to cut it open, put she moves too much and I'm afraid I'm going to cut her in the wrong place. What is the best way to go about cutting this abscess open?

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you have pictures? Make sure to wrap the chicken in a towel and have someone hold it. Cleaning the site with betadine or Hibiclens and wate, then lancing with a sterilized needle or scalpel blade would be the way to treat an abscess. Then squeeze out the contents on paper towel. Clean again with disinfectant and apply plain antibiotic ointment.

 

[HappyClucker7]

Here is a pic of her abscess. How do I get her to keep her head still long enough for me to cut through her skin?

 

[Eggcessive]

Do you see a mark on it somewhere where it could have been pecked or injured? Could it be a growth insead of an abscess?

 

[HappyClucker7]

No, there's no dark spot. She's had it for a while now and it hasn't grown, so I'm pretty sure it's an abscess.