Is this Avian Goiter? PHOTO

[Ms Kurtis]

My hen began self isolating a few weeks ago. I borrowed a neighbor's cage and isolated her in the barn. She eats well and acts normal, quit laying, which is not normal for an Australorpe. First week, I gave her 10 iodine drops in her 7 quart water. That did no good. Second week when I freshened the water I gave 2 TBS Braggs apple cider vinegar. She continues to do alright and seems happy in her barn cage where she is left alone and can eat in peace, but the swelling beneath her neck (which is not food caught b/c we checked) the swelling hasn't gone down. Her feathers around (the ears?) look sparce and shiny if I'm seeing it right. What could be her problem, anyone have an idea? Looking at the photo, the ear looks almost crusty now.

 

[muddy75]

@azygous

 

[Eggcessive]

Does it feel like air under skin? Chickens have air sacs throughout the body, and a bump or injury can cause a leaking air sac. Do you see any scabs under the feathers that could have been an injury or abscess?

 

[Ms Kurtis]

Does it feel like air under skin? Chickens have air sacs throughout the body, and a bump or injury can cause a leaking air sac. Do you see any scabs under the feathers that could have been an injury or abscess?

That is a possibility. The swelling is not filled with puss, but may be air. She is the outlier who lays green eggs rather than the brown Australorpe eggs. She has gotten along well for the year I've had them, but she was definitely trying to avoid the other 2 hens and roo since the illness/injury. I have a large coop attached to the side of a barn structure, so enough room, but I have been fighting a rat problem back there, I don't want to use poison on them, nor do I want to use the sonic device b/c don't want them all running toward my house on block foundation. So it's entirely possible that she was attacked by the roo or bitten by a rat. She's not that tame, as I didn't raise them, so that I can really take a close look, but I will get my neighbor to help b/c if it's an injury, antibioticss may be required for healing. Do y'all get antibiotics through your farm store and give in water? It's worth a try. Thank you for your reply.

 

[Eggcessive]

If you think it could be a leaking air sac, I would watch it, unless she seems to have trouble getting her breath. Most small air sac tears will get better on their own. Larger ones may need to be removed with an 18 gauge needle inserted just under the skin, and a large syringe to withdraw the air. Here are videos about removing air from under the skin:

 

[Ms Kurtis]

That was an interesting video and I bet it's a damaged air sack. Still not sure about expirating b/c she's a full grown not hand raised hen, but I have a neighbor that could help me hold her. I'm going to take the photo to the vet and see what he has to say. Don't want to pay the $60. to bring her in, but he "might" have an idea and provide me with the syringe and/or antibiotics. He knows he has a good customer b/c I have the rare poodle in a redneck town full of pit bulls and he raises champion yorkies, so there's that. She's not sick, but she still has the bulge beneath her neck. That's a possible. Thank you so much for the info and videos!

 

[Eggcessive]

As long as she is in no distress, there is no need to to and withdraw air, if that is what it is. Sometimes infection can be in those air sacs, especially if there has been a respiratory infection, but you haven’t described anything else. Cysts or timors can occur in that area as well, but hopefully, it is something that will go away on it’s own.

 

[Ms Kurtis]

As long as she is in no distress, there is no need to to and withdraw air, if that is what it is. Sometimes infection can be in those air sacs, especially if there has been a respiratory infection, but you haven’t described anything else. Cysts or timors can occur in that area as well, but hopefully, it is something that will go away on it’s own.

OK, thank you. She has to stay isolated from the others b/c they seem to want to pick on her, which is new and they've been together for a year. I'll see how it goes. Again, thanks so much!

 

[Eggcessive]

Try keeping her a wire dog crate inside the coop with food and water so that she remains with the others.

 

[Ms Kurtis]

Yep, I was able to borrow a good sized cage from a neighbor, and she was much happier to be protected from the others. Yesterday, I had a man building another pen inside the barn for baby chicks, and he set her cage on the ground. When I came in later that day, the others were around the cage and she was scrunched up behind her water container, so we moved her back up out of their reach. I'm giving her time to heal and putting 2 TBS of Apple Cider Vinegar (in case it's bacterial) in her 7 qt waterer for now and see how she does. She may make it this winter, or not, but she shows no other symptoms except the neck swelling and some thinning of feathers about her ears.