Large scabbed lump on back

[Newbie9294180]

It is not the preen gland. I am very new to chickens. I’ve had the about 6 weeks. I already healed one from wry neck, but this is a whole different issue. This hen (Speckles) is lowest in pecking order. I think this might have been initially caused by feather plucking and worsened over the last week. Stupid me thought she was just getting feather tails when I saw her feathers sticking up (as she’s the youngest). The next day she was a bit wobbly so I YouTubed how to check over chicken and quickly realized this large lump is not feathers. I went out two days ago and bought a vetericyn and peck no more and she has been separated from glock since then. This is an extremely hard lump, I do NOT see any moving maggots, or dead ones. I gave her an epsom salt bath, electrolytes, and have been cleaning the wound. But it’s so large I’m not sure what to do. Is this a tumor? Is this something that should be lanced? I just don’t know?

 

[Eggcessive]

How old is she? Can you find the preen gland near the swollen lump? This could be an impacted feather cyst, an impacted preen gland, or a tumor. I would clean the blood off and use Vetericyn or soap and water to keep it clean. Can you express any pus from the scabs? Does it feel hard, or squishy like an abscess? A warm wet cloth for a hot compress could be used a couple of times a day.

 

[Newbie9294180]

It’s very hard and the size of a golf ball. I can see the preen gland which appears normal.

 

[Newbie9294180]

She’s probably 5/6 months old

 

[RosemaryDuck]

It looks to be filled with pus. As eggcessive mentioned, you should express the pus so the wound can heal. Try soaking with warm compresses to remove the scab, then push out any pus that's inside. Flush it out really good and make sure there's no remaining pus, then lather it up with antibiotic cream (with no pain reliever in it, just the normal one).

 

[Newbie9294180]

She passed. She wasn’t eating or drinking (I was using dropper). She started breathing different and wasn’t trying to walk or anything. Once she passed I examined the lump and it was in fact a tumor, no pus at all. Thank you for your replies.

 

[RosemaryDuck]

She passed. She wasn’t eating or drinking (I was using dropper). She started breathing different and wasn’t trying to walk or anything. Once she passed I examined the lump and it was in fact a tumor, no pus at all. Thank you for your replies.

So sorry for your loss. You did everything you could.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry that you lost your pullet. I would try to get a necropsy by your state vet to rule out Mareks disease, since she was the right age. Tumors on skin is one of 4 types of Mareks. Here is a list that may include your state vet to contact, and keep the body cold in a cooler until you decide what to do:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/PoultryLabs.cfm