Ingrown feather or worm?

[Featherbabies2020]

One of my girls hasn’t laid in a few days so I decided to give her a warm bath just to be on the safe side. I’m not too concerned as it’s just been a couple of days and shes getting older (4). Anyways, I was drying her off when I found this lovely surprise.

It’s below her vent and looks like a white worm. She’s still acting like her spunky self and seems normal otherwise. Does anyone have any clue what it is? Thanks in advance!
(Also, those aren’t mites….she has speckled feathers and had just taken a dust bath)

 

[SmiYa0126]

That definitely looks like an ingrown feather? A had a girl with a feather like that but it was closer to the surface.

Any chance you can find the source and see if you can use tweezers to carefully pull it out?

Looping in some experts @Wyorp Rock @azygous[/USER] @Eggcessive

 

[Featherbabies2020]

Thanks, so far I haven’t been able to find the source but I‘ll see if she can cooperate long enough for me to take a closer look.

 

[Featherbabies2020]

I took a closer look tonight and the whole feather is covered with a pretty thick layer of skin. I tried to bring it to the surface with some tweezers but was unsuccessful. Should I try again with the tweezers or are there any other methods?

 

[SmiYa0126]

Hello! I would try to exfoliate the place where the feather is growing from, see if you can expose the shaft there so you can pull it out. You're going to have to repeat quite a few times.

 

[Featherbabies2020]

Thanks! I was able to get it out today by exposing the shaft slowly. The feather had grown in a spiral and since it was was completely under her skin, I had to expose the skin surrounding the whole thing which left a pretty big wound. I disinfected the area but should I be concerned about an infection since the wound is under her vent or is it nothing to worry about?

 

[SmiYa0126]

I would clean it every day and cover with antibiotic cream, a wound attracts flies...esp if she gets poo on it.

 

[Featherbabies2020]

Will do. Thanks!