Jackpot, my first hen might already be a mycoplasma carrier.

[Altairsky]

Long story short, I got my first coop and I bought my first 2 hens, already 1 year old. I didn't notice the problem at first, but now after reading online and watching pictures I think one of them might have chronic mycoplasma - which means they are both carriers.
She has no symptoms at all, she lays a lot of eggs (one every other day which is very good for this breed) and she eats like a pig. But she has this weird bubble on one side of her head, which for what I understand is caused by mycolpasma.
She's been like this for 2 months now. No other symptoms, she's very happy and active.
The other hen is perfectly fine.
What now? Does it mean that I can't add more hens to the flock or they will get sick and die?

 

[Eggcessive]

How does that nodule feel—firm or soft? I think that may be a cyst, but I could be wrong. Usually, with mycoplasma, it tends to be more around the eyelid or toward the beak. It can cause bubbles or foam in the eye, sneezing, and nasal drainage. I think if that were MG, it would have become worse, and she might have become lethargic or develop more signs. So it may not be anything to worry about.

 

[Altairsky]

The nodule is soft and movable under the skin, very similar to what a small lipoma would look like in humans.

 

[dawg53]

I agree with @Eggcessive. It's not MG. As long as your hen(s) are eating, drinking and acting like a chicken should, you have nothing to worry about.

 

[Eggcessive]

The nodule is soft and movable under the skin, very similar to what a small lipoma would look like in humans.

I would just keep a watch on it, and maybe write down the measurement. Then note if it grows, or if any other symptoms occur. Chickens have various growths just like all animals. Many are benign, and some can be cancerous.

 

[Altairsky]

An update: she went broody this summer and the nodule almost doubled in size. My family vet thinks it's a just a benign tumor, but she's not an avian vet and she doesn't feel like doing surgery on a bird.
The closest avian vet is roughly 2 hours drive from where I live so it's gonna be a very stressful trip for her, and I don't even know if he accepts chickens (generally, avian vets only wants parrots).
So for now, she's gonna keep her facial bump, as long as it's not giving her eye trouble.

 

[Eggcessive]

I really would not make a 4 hour round trip to the avian vet with a chicken who probably has a cyst or tumor on her face. Chickens do not tolerate anesthesia or surgery very well. She might live for a few years having a decent life, and she could be so stressed from a long trip, or die with an expensive surgery. Cysts and tumors in chickens are very common, and some are due to viruses while others are not. It is really nice to have a broody hen if you want her to raise chicks. I hope that she gets along well, and let us know how she does.

 

[Altairsky]

For anyone wondering, the thing appears to be a cyst. It gets periodically bigger, and it gets periodically smaller, randomly. So absolutely nothing to worry about.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thanks for the update. It’s interesting that it gets smaller and then grows in size.

 

[townchicks]

I'm glad to hear she is doing well, and I agree that it doesn't look like MG. I just wanted to say, if you really want to know for sure before you add to your flock, that there are blood tests for that. I also will suggest, just for future reference, to call the avian vet and ask if they see chickens. You might be surprised. I just learned recently that in my avian vet practice, that half of their patients are chickens. It would be good to have that knowledge in case other things crop up. I also don't agree that a two hour trip is that stressful for a chicken. Mine do very well in the car, just cover the carrier so it's dark and they settle right down. I have done a two hour trip, bringing home some pullets, granted, they were not sick, but still, I would do it if I had to for a sick one.