Pullet with hole/puncture on keel

[SeramaLife]

My 8 month old pullet, who is laying, has a puncture. I felt dried poop on her keel bone and tried to pull it off. It was wet underneath. there is a quarter inch hole there. It appears to be draining. I have no idea how it happened. I have washed it out with chlorhexadine(sp?) surgical scrub and am about to put in some neosporin. She is acting completely normal, no difference, not acting in pain. She is eating , drinking, and flying on me.

 

[jlmann]

Could it be an absesce that has ruptured? Like maybe another bird pecked her and it got infected. Keeping it clean and keeping an eye on her are probably your best bet for now. Or if you have a roo he could have done it just being "frisky".

 

[SeramaLife]

No it is not an abscess. It is on her keel(breastbone) and a chicken can't peck there for obvious reasons.

 

[Jenski]

If it's really crusty, it may be a "breast button" - -

http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/204603.htm


There are other names for it. Does she perch at night? Is the perch smooth, or could it have sharp edges? Is the perch dirty? It's easy for a perch to get soiled, and if a chicken perches so the keel rests on it every night, it can rub the skin and cause this skin lesion. Takes awhile to heal, and if it has a bit of staph it can be a real bear to get it to go away.

You may wish to try and keep it softened by gently soaking with a warm cloth every so often, and apply antibiotic ointment (without any of the "-caine" ingredients in it). There are antibiotics that can be administered to help, but you might need to consult a vet to find out which one. The wrong antibiotic is a waste of time and money.

Hope that helps. Other folks who have dealt with this might pop in to offer their suggestions; I know this came up a couple of times last summer and early fall on the forum. Good luck!