Rooster with swollen preen gland?

The Chickens' Maid

Crowing
14 Years
May 2, 2009
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We have a three-four year old BO rooster who has problems with the preen gland on his tail. It does not seem to be infected, just full of preening (oil?). He is very sensitive about his tail, including tail feathers and especially pin feathers on his tail. I tried to squeeze the gland to get some of the stuff out, and some of it did come out, making the gland a little smaller. There was no color or anything out of the ordinary.
Our rooster does have an oddly shaped beak. He lost the top quarter-inch of his beak in a cock-fight about three years ago. It has not affected him much, he keeps himself clean and he can look after himself without any difficulty. However, I'm wondering if maybe his beak has affected his being able to reach the tail preen gland.
Is there anything I can do to help him? Thanks!
 
Best I can figure from researching it...
Treatment

Treatment of disease of the uropygial gland will depend on the diagnosis. Most abnormal glands will be the result of hypovitaminosis A, and may be secondarily infected. These cases will respond to parenteral supplementation of vitamin A, correcting the diet, and hot-packing the area with moist heat in cooperative patients. Based on culture and sensitivity results, systemic antibiotic or antifungal therapy may be beneficial.3,5

Suspected tumors may require surgical excision. Surgical excision should also be considered when conservative medical management has not been effective, if impaction recurs, there is chronic, non-responsive infection, or if the gland has ruptured. If possible, it is best to excise the gland before it ruptures, as the resulting inflammation, cellulitis, scar tissue, or septicemia may prove debilitating or life threatening.3 Surgery should be considered as a last resort for conditions that can be managed medically, and should not be attempted for hyperkeratotic glands. In most birds, other than ducks, surgical removal of the uropygial gland does not appear to clinically affect the bird, however, in ducks, the glands excision will result in the duck losing its ability to waterproof the feathers.3
 

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