Impacted/ingrown feather?

[Chicken Nugget]

One of our chicks (about five weeks old) is having a problem. The chicks are in that stage where they are losing their down feathers but their big chick feathers haven't all come in yet.

One of the chicks has a weird looking sore at the base of its tail. We think it might be an impacted feather that won't come out. It almost looks like a blood filled pimple or something, but you can kind of see the tip of a feather in it. The area around it is swollen and seems to be sore to the touch.

We are not sure what - if anything - we should do. We are trying bantams for the first time this year. We believe this particular chick may be a silver-laced Polish bantam.

I have tried to take pictures. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[JenMT]

Hey...I'm new at this stuff, but I think that she may be getting pecked there a bit. I'd put some neosporin or other antibiotic ointment on her and keep an eye on things in the brooder. If it's not pecking the ointment will help anyway. Good luck to you and your new bantams.

 

[azelgin]

I think you are looking at the oil gland. Not positive, but it's in the right spot.

 

[KareyABohr]

Well you are taking really good care of your chicks because I don't think I would have even noticed that!
She is prob. the low gal on the pecking order and I am sure she will be fine. If they keep pecking her there put some pine tar there, it tastes bad and her brood mates will leave her alone.

 

[Mahonri]

Looks to me like she's been pecked by another chick!

 

[Chicken Nugget]

I don't think it's just where she's been pecked at. It's hard to tell in the photos, but the sore is puffy, not scabby. Somebody mentioned an oil gland... I wonder if could be a clogged oil gland?

If nobody has any better ideas, I guess we'll just leave it alone and let nature take its course.

 

[LynneP]

As already mentioned neosporin may help. If you have any reason to suspect pecking later on, use a touch of blue lotion. Even if it is the oil gland, someone may be going at her because it looks red...If you are set up to keep her warm separate from the others you'd figure it out overnight- she might even stimulate the oil gland herself. Oh and your neosporin is the plain kind, no benzocaine, right?

 

[CTChickenMom]

If its an impacted/ingrown feather or a clogged oil gland, a warm heat pack will help to open it up. I think if you gave it 5 minutes 3 or 4 times a day it would help to reduce swelling and tenderness. Does it feel greasy or oily? You could use a Q-tip to rub a little alcohol or witch hazel on it to help dry it out.

 

[JennsPeeps]

I agree that it could be a pecked oil gland. Find a healthy chick and spread out the feathers just above the tail. You will find a pink nub that looks like a little nipple. That's the oil gland.

Chicks heal VERY quickly. I stepped on my BO chick's foot when she was about a week old. It has since completely healed (she's 4 wks now) and you can't tell which foot it was that was injured.