Small external lump near vent & yellow poop *pic attached*

[hillsnchickens]

Please help!

My 3 year old hen has been very lethargic lately - won't leave the run, barely walks around, won't eat, tail down, hunched stance. Her poop is a concentrated mix yellow/white/greasy with nothing solid. She is a big plymouth rock girl and has always had problems keep her butt area clean. Today I cleaned the area and discovered a small, hard, external lump near her vent - see attached pic. Any idea what the lump could be or what could be wrong with her?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Welcome To BYC

Does the lump feel soft or does it look like a feather may be impacted in it?
Hard to really tell, I'm unable to zoom in on the photo.

Does your hen lay eggs? Normal eggs or does she have problems with soft shelled egg or something like Lash Eggs?

Her abdomen, below the vent is it bloated or swollen?

Since she's lethargic, I'd see that she's drinking. Electrolytes or vitamin water may be helpful. Once she's hydrated offer a bit of wet feed, bits of egg, etc. to see if she will eat.
Check to see if her crop is emptying overnight.

She may be having some reproductive problems which are common in laying hens.

 

[hillsnchickens]

Thank you for the reply!

The external lump is hard and about 1 cm in size. It is not coming out of her vent, but is attached to her skin on the side near the opening. Touching the lump did not seem to invoke additional pain. Compared to the impacted feather photos available online, it does not look as big. I have attached a more zoomed in photo, maybe that will help.

Her abdomen is not hard but may be a little swollen.

Her egg shells have always been on the thinner side and she often lays less eggs compared to the other girls. Nothing ever like Lash Eggs or any other problematic eggs. She hasn't been laying at all since she started exhibited these symptoms.

I will give her some electrolyte water and keep an eye on her.

Thank you

 

[Wyorp Rock]

If you have vet care, that would be best.

I don't think the bump/lump has anything to do with her lethargy.
But I do think that the lump may be feathers. If she improves, then you may want to explore that.
If she's really lethargic, then bathing her could push her over the edge, but I'd try to gently clean off some of the poop to make her more comfortable.

 

[My Very First 6 Chickens]

If you have vet care, that would be best.

I don't think the bump/lump has anything to do with her lethargy.
But I do think that the lump may be feathers. If she improves, then you may want to explore that.
If she's really lethargic, then bathing her could push her over the edge, but I'd try to gently clean off some of the poop to make her more comfortable.

Is it common for chickens to get ingrown feathers? Like a hair follicle on a human that we get? i sure hope not. Oh, hillsnchickens, i am thinking of you and your chicken. I hope she recovers

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Is it common for chickens to get ingrown feathers? Like a hair follicle on a human that we get? i sure hope not. Oh, hillsnchickens, i am thinking of you and your chicken. I hope she recovers

Yes, they can get ingrown feathers.