Please help! Tumor on chicken neck?

[Eggcessive]

You probably need to check with a vet or get your parents to read some of the info in the threads.

 

[TheYLWFlock]

Ok thank you

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are some more threads to read and a video about removing feather cysts, if you and your parents want to read them:
https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/feather-cysts-in-birds

http://www.beautyofbirds.com/feathercysts.html


https://www.petmd.com/bird/conditions/skin/c_bd_Feather_Cysts

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/feather-cyst-possible-in-white-pekin.1127899/

 

[Eggcessive]

I realize that taking her to a vet would be best, but in case you would want to tackle this at home, here is another video of a feather cyst removal:

 

[TheYLWFlock]

With this info I am beginning to believe that it is in fact an ingrown feather cyst, especially because this was where she was molting and she finished growing her feathers back in January, so it has probably multiple ingrown feathers that just continued to worsen until we noticed them. We will be calling vets today o see if they take chickens. This way the can confirm whether or not it is a feather cyst and we can go from there. Thanks for your help @Eggcessive

 

[Firefoot]

Just wanted to jump in that I had a pullet present with very similar tumors this past fall and it turned out to be Marek's. She was fine in absolutely every other respect except the tumors. I thought it was a feather cyst also, or abscess. I noticed it first when she pecked at it one day. It was small, about the size of my thumbnail, and I pulled the feathers from it in case it was a cyst or abscess. It felt solid and not soft or sensitive. I tried to aspirate it with no luck. About a week later, it was a bit bigger and she had pecked it open. The tissue inside was dense and did not look like an abscess. I treated the wound and about a week or two later took her to a vet who said he thought it was an encapsulated spider bite. He said to keep treating it, which I did, and it kept getting worse and worse. I put her down the day she opened another tumor on her leg. I didn't get her necropsied, but a couple weeks later put down another pullet presenting with neurologic Marek's and a necropsy confirmed.

I just wanted to say all this because in my desperate searches about Marek's when I was dealing with my first bird, NONE of the photos or things I read said that could have tumors like this. Everything said the tumors were internal and that you wouldn't know until the bird died from unknown causes and you necropsied it to see. And because she was completely fine in absolutely every other way, it was so hard to think she had Marek's. I really wanted it to have been a wound, so it would heal. But ... alas. So, hopefully the vet is helpful but my vet was not really, and he is the only chicken vet around me. I asked him if he thought it could be Marek's and he said she would be sicker if that were the case. He said he didn't think it was a tumor ...

I hope your little bird turns around and it is just feather cysts!! But especially with your flock history, just keep a keen eye out ...

 

[TheYLWFlock]

Update! Ruth is continuing to do well, eating, drinking, pooping (a bit runnier than I’d like, but not completely liquid), preeening, going outside to stretch her legs, readily taking treats, etc. Her crop is feeling normal, and there are no signs of any other problems on her (she got a speck of frostbite, but I’m treating it with some herbal poultry salve which works wonders!) I take her inside once or twice a day to make sure she’s doing alright and to spoil her.

After a while of searching we found a vet who takes chickens, and she’s booked for an exam with the chicken vet next week on the 19th! There are still only two lumps, and I don’t think they’ve grown larger. She doesn’t love it when I touch them, but she tolerates it surprisingly well. So I here’s hoping everything is alright! Thanks for all of you help so far!

 

[TheYLWFlock]

The vet did a cell test, it’s Mareks, not feather cysts. We are going to let her live for as long as she is happy. Once she starts showing any signs of discomfort, or if the others start picking on her tumors, we will put her down. Here I are the cells from inside the tumor, you can see the ones that are larger and more purple, those are Mareks ones.

Thankfully this vet has treated many chickens and had seen many cases of Mareks, although she said she hasn’t seen a particular case like this for many years. She said that usually they go down first, with the whole neurological problems and not being able to walk, like the puller I put down in September.
Thanks for all of your help

 

[TheYLWFlock]

Another update:

My sweet girl is continuing to be happy and acting fine. We found a place near us that vaccinates their chicks for Mareks. We will probably be getting some. It will be ok to introduced vaccinated with my existing ones, since the ones I have are already exposed to Mareks, is that right? @rebrascora @Eggcessive

Like I said before, we will put Ruth down once her Mareks tumors are too large/the others start picking on her/her quality of life is no longer great. Right now she is great though! Still eating her food and googling up treats! Thanks for your help.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry that it turned out to be Mareks according to your vet, but so glad that you could get some anwers. I have never treated Mareks before, although I have a hen with balance issues that I have been wondering about for a month. @rebrascora is much more experienced with it, and will probably chime in. It is my understanding that vaccinated chicks should be kept away from any dust or dander from the other chickens for at least 2 weeks for them to develop full immunity. They still can get the disease, but may not get the tumors that kill the chickens. All of your chickens will be carriers for life, whether they get the symptoms or not. Here is some reading about Mareks:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/the-great-big-giant-mareks-disease-faq.66077/

https://extension.psu.edu/mareks-disease-in-chickens