Lump on a quail’s head?

[shrimpsilkies]

This hen got scalped pretty bad by a rooster, or so I thought. Maybe she actually got scalped by hitting the wire roof, as some quail continued to show this even after I culled the roo. I’ve installed a soft mesh barrier which so far seems to keep them from damaging themselves .
Anyway, I brought her in for a week or two with some friends to recuperate, and although she had a small bump on her head, the wound healed over and new feathers grew in.

Recently though she’s got this big, shiny lump on her head. Is this from hitting the ceiling? Or something worse? She eats and moves perfectly fine, it hasn’t bothered her yet.

 

[Kale the Quail]

sometimes my quail get little lumps on their head. I make nothing of it. But that looks pretty serious. @Nabiki ? @Fenrisulfr ?

 

[Nabiki]

Remember, I'm not a vet or an expert, but this looks like a cyst to me. The way I would treat that in a cat is soaking it in warm water and seeing if you can get it to drain. If that didn't work, I would take it to a vet for them to drain it.

 

[shrimpsilkies]

Remember, I'm not a vet or an expert, but this looks like a cyst to me. The way I would treat that in a cat is soaking it in warm water and seeing if you can get it to drain. If that didn't work, I would take it to a vet for them to drain it.

So I’d pierce it with a needle or something and try to gently squeeze it out?

 

[Nabiki]

So I’d pierce it with a needle or something and try to gently squeeze it out?

You could try that if soaking doesn't work. If you don't get anything from a single pierce, don't try again. I would check with a vet first, though.

 

[Ratchnick]

If its not a cyst i would guess cancer.

 

[Fenrisulfr]

It is probably a reaction to the previous wound. A cyst as Nabiki said is very likley or a harden scar.
But I am also no vet.

If the quail is a pet, I'll also suggest a visit at a vet, if it is lifestock, I would carefully watch it an do nothing in the first step, as it is eating and running around.
Second step would be harvesting.

 

[le_bwah]

Feel it. If it moves with the skin and feels like there's fluid inside, it's proabbly a cyst. If it's completely solid and/or feels stuck to underlying tissue, I'd start worrying about a tumor.

If there's fluid inside, you can drain it with a needle. You can find needles at most feed supply stores—a lower-number gauge (bigger hole diameter) will let any trapped fluid out easier. Clean the skin, pierce it with the needle, and see what comes out. Clear/yellow fluid tinged with blood is probably a cyst. Pus + blood would make it more of an abscess, which might require antibiotics to treat. You won't know until you check what's inside.

Hope it's nothing serious—might even resolve all on its own as long as nothing breaks the skin. Good luck!

 

[Quailobsessed]

One of my quails had a lump on her head a while ago. It was quite hard and crusty. I don't really know what happened, but it just went away on it's own. It was probably a scab that fell off. I'm not sure about yours. What does the lump feel like?

Here's my quail when she had a lump

I hope she improves!