Large mass on hens neck. Help!

[Rmallen]

I was away for a week out of town and had someone watching all our animals so I’m not sure exactly when this popped up. We came home Friday and that’s when I immediately noticed when I went up to check on my girls. Very swollen face. And huge swollen neck. Skin is purplish where swollen. She is eating and drinking like normal, poop is normal, she seems a little uncomfortable but not lethargic. No bad smells. No obvious injuries or punctures. I have separated her. I have given her some antibiotics since Friday afternoon (3 days now). She usually lays every day but no eggs from her since we’ve been back home. The swelling in her face and purply/redness has gone done a little bit but not much. First pictures are from Friday. Last couple are from today. You can see the swollen lump right in the middle of her neck. Eye was swollen all the way shut and is now starting to open up. Any ideas? I’m thinking I might need to visit a vet. But thought I’d try a post here, first time posting!

 

[LaFleche]

I see a swollen front, which might be caused by a crop obstruction. How does her poop look? Please upload a picture.

Feel her crop, is it rather soft and squishy like a balloon filled with gas or water? Or does it feel hard?

To find out if the crop empties properly overnight, put her in a crate in the evening without bedding or food and feel her crop early in the morning before feeding. It should have emptied completely.

In case it is not empty, treat as follows:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

No bad smells. No obvious injuries or punctures.

First pictures are from Friday. Last couple are from today. You can see the swollen lump right in the middle of her neck. Eye was swollen all the way shut and is now starting to open up.

Please check your hen over again, not only her breast and head, but all over her body.
What are those scabs? Are they punctures?
What's the inside of her beak like?

To me it look like your hen has suffered injury. Is she able to eat/drink?

 

[Rmallen]

I see a swollen front, which might be caused by a crop obstruction. How does her poop look? Please upload a picture.

Feel her crop, is it rather soft and squishy like a balloon filled with gas or water? Or does it feel hard?

To find out if the crop empties properly overnight, put her in a crate in the evening without bedding or food and feel her crop early in the morning before feeding. It should have emptied completely.

In case it is not empty, treat as follows:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ntion-and-treatments-of-crop-disorders.67194/

Hi! Yes this was one of my first thoughts. I do not believe this to be a crop issue. It is empty in the mornings, although the day I came home she was so swollen in the neck down to the crop (not just a normal full crop). But as some of the swelling went down her crop is back to normal and empty in the mornings.
poop is also normal! I can get a better picture if needed today but this was her poop yesterday.

 

[Rmallen]

Please check your hen over again, not only her breast and head, but all over her body.
What are those scabs? Are they punctures?
What's the inside of her beak like?

To me it look like your hen has suffered injury. Is she able to eat/drink?


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Thank you for your reply! Those scabs have just shown up yesterday but I’m not sure that they are actual scabs…they almost look like the skin is dying or something…? But prior to them appearing there was not any punctures or blood/wounds there.
she is eating and drinking without issue and seems to be breathing normal. I will giver her another look over for any punctures today. One of my first worries was a rattlesnake bite as we have had quite a few on our property this year. So I did look her over very thoroughly looking for a snake bite puncture but did not see anything. I’m leaning towards a wound as she is acting normal, not really any other symptoms and antibiotics nor Benedryl have seemed to help any. I don’t know what to do for her.

 

[Rmallen]

Please check your hen over again, not only her breast and head, but all over her body.
What are those scabs? Are they punctures?
What's the inside of her beak like?

To me it look like your hen has suffered injury. Is she able to eat/drink?


View attachment 2757944

View attachment 2757946

Here are some pics from this morning. That little spot that looks like a scab has gotten bigger over night. I also see the redness around her eye has turned to green bruising. When I separate her feathers on the back of her head, behind the bruised eye..the skin is also green. Poor girl I sprayed the area with a little antibacterial spray, I’m at a loss of what to do. I guess It’s good that she’s eating/drinking/pooping normal…

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Poop looks normal to me and if the crop is emptying, then I would lean toward injury.
Green is bruising.
I would just treat the wound like you would any other. Keep cleaned, apply your spray.

Could be from a bite, I just don't know, but your thoughts are a good possibility.

What antibiotics have you used? Those may help with infection. She may lose some skin if it turns necrotic, but hopefully it will start healing up.

You're right. Poor Girl!
If you will, please keep us posted/updated on how she does, I would be interested and seeing how it goes.

 

[Rmallen]

Poop looks normal to me and if the crop is emptying, then I would lean toward injury.
Green is bruising.
I would just treat the wound like you would any other. Keep cleaned, apply your spray.

Could be from a bite, I just don't know, but your thoughts are a good possibility.

What antibiotics have you used? Those may help with infection. She may lose some skin if it turns necrotic, but hopefully it will start healing up.

You're right. Poor Girl!
If you will, please keep us posted/updated on how she does, I would be interested and seeing how it goes.

Yes I just feel so bad for her!! Especially with this heat wave we are having, was 105 yesterday! She’s got to be so uncomfortable.

I was giving her a sulfamethoxazole antibiotic. I stopped yesterday in fear that if it was something else I may be killing off good bacteria needed but now that the green bruising has appeared I think I will continue on while I watch that front patch of skin.
I’m always so fearful of a sickness/illness taking over my whole flock so it’s a little bit reassuring to have others thoughts and opinions. If injured, hopefully she will heal right up! I will post any update on her condition as they come! Thanks so much

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes I just feel so bad for her!! Especially with this heat wave we are having, was 105 yesterday! She’s got to be so uncomfortable.

I was giving her a sulfamethoxazole antibiotic. I stopped yesterday in fear that if it was something else I may be killing off good bacteria needed but now that the green bruising has appeared I think I will continue on while I watch that front patch of skin.
I’m always so fearful of a sickness/illness taking over my whole flock so it’s a little bit reassuring to have others thoughts and opinions. If injured, hopefully she will heal right up! I will post any update on her condition as they come! Thanks so much

I would finish the course of antibiotics.

You can give her a little white cooked rice with buttermilk once a day as a treat to help give probiotics and sooth the gut/intestines from the Sulfa drugs.

 

[Auntiejessi3]