Possible abscess in neck?

[Abronsyth]

One of our three week old sebrights seems to have an infection of some sort on her neck. The feathers are all missing, it's swollen, and discolored. Not sure what we can or should do about it aside from separating her so the others don't pick at it.

Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[Eggcessive]

It is probably from pecking. Does it feel like it could have solid pus inside? You could clean it with betadine, and try to probe it witha sterilized needle to see if there is anything inside, although chicks' necks are fragile, and I probably wouldn't sqeeze too much there. Or, you could paint it with betadine, and watch to see that they don't peck it. BluKote will camoflouge the wound, but some chicks will peck more at the BluKote. There is a good cream called Nustock that is opaque yellow, tastes and smells like pine and sulfur, and is excellent for healing and hiding small wounds. Some feed stores have it.

 

[Abronsyth]

We picked up some BlueKote and at first she was obsessed with scratching at it but now she's alright.

However, we're concerned because my sibling and I discovered she has a swollen lump (very small, but there) on her tiny comb, and she has a larger swollen lump on one of her thighs. The neck and comb I can understand being from pecking, but not between her thigh and body, no other bird besides her could even get there.

I am concerned as that is what one of my rats started showing before he became overwhelmed by cancer. I don't know how common/likely it is in chicks, though, or what else might cause multiple lumps to form.

She's clearly in dire need of comforting, my sibling cannot set her down for a moment without her crying like no tomorrow, she insists on being either on their shoulder or in their hands.

 

[Abronsyth]

After putting blue kote on all three lumps, all three have gone down significantly in swelling. The lump under her leg is pretty much entirely gone. Her neck looks way, way better and there are wee feathers growing in. I guess it must have been from pecking? But it's so odd.