Is this an abscess? What should do?

[Jwarnick]

Yesterday I discovered a hard swollen area on my silked serama's tail. There was some missing tail feathers with an ulcerated sore. She doesn't seem to pick at it a lot. She is kept in a cage with another serama that seems alright. They are seven months old raised inside since three months old on a wire floor. Should I put some Neosporin on it? What else can I do? Please help!
Thanks!
Jill

 

[purpletree23]

How large is the cage you are keeping them in? You only have 2? Maybe your cage is too small and it is causing the other chicken to peck at her tail causing the abcess. They also might have a protein deficiency.

Please consider getting them proper flooring. They should not be housed on wire. It it very uncomfortable for them and could cause damage to their feet like infections and sores.

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

Sounds like the area may be the preen gland? And I echo the liklihood of a picking problem. Wire is only a problem it the gauge of wire is too narrow, or the openings too large.

 

[Jwarnick]

The wire is coated half inch wire. The birds themselves never pick on each other. My serama's are 12 oz and they are seven months old so they are very tiny. The cage is four feet by two feet with perches.
I'm just worried it's mites or something.

 

[purpletree23]

I could be wrong but I don't think mites would do that. A chicken biting herself trying to relieve the itching of the mites might injure herself. I would clean it with warm water and mild soap and dry gently. After cleaning you can look closely at it to see if there is an infection or something unusual going on. Put a little neosporin on it and cover it if you can. Make sure you get the neosporin without the pain relief ingredient. It is poisonous to chickens. Do this everyday and see if there is any improvement and watch for infection.

If you suspect mites dust them with poultry powder. It will kill lice and mites. Reapply in 10 days to kill any that have hatched. The powder will not kill the eggs.

 

[Jwarnick]

Today I looked for moving mites and lice but didn't see anything.
Could this just be feather plucking? Or is this something more?
The other serama in with her does not pick at her. I took a better picture today.

 

[arosenzweig]

I know this is many years after you posted; however, what ever happened to the abscess on your Serama?