Swollen blood on vent, now found lump in tail feathers - getting worse, please help!

[ecatt]

Hello, I have a OEG who is about 9 years old.
She is looking so healthy everywhere, including her colour, eyes and crop, but her vent area is a real problem. She is also eating, drinking, walking normally and her poop is normal. She doesnt have a temperature.
The problem started about a month ago, and I have been to a vet who said it was an infection, but it wasnt as bad then as it is now. I dont want to go back to him as I dont think he really knows. He ruled out flystrike, vent gleet and egg bound.
He put her on antibiotics, which seem to slow things, but never improve, it has been getting gradually worse, until now which looks so bad. The 'infection' started below her vent and kept growing. I have tried salt, epsom salt, betodine baths, daily for a week even. Unfortunately she hates them. I have put oregano ointments, canesten, resolve and more betodine on twice daily. Nothing seems to work. Its not hot to touch, she doesnt like me putting cream on, and it has to be sensitive for her. For the first time today there is a bit of blood in her vent.
Any other suggestions?

 

[RossAcres]

My impulse is always to cut it open and let it drain... but I don't know. I know it's sensitive for her, but if you take a sterile razor to it, it can drain out. Putting ointment on something that's closed off or encapsulated like that won't do anything because there's a barrier. After draining it, THEN you could put ointment and betodine on it. That's just what I would do. It's got to be painful for her. If it doesn't go away after treating for so long, she may need the long sleep

 

[The Coop Crew]

That appears to be pus under the scab which will need to be removed before any healing can start. I don’t know if she would tolerate that though.
Let us know what you decide to do

 

[ChicNmom]

It does look like something that needs to be drained. It looks like it's under a lot of pressure so I don't think you would have to make a large cut. Just getting the pressure off of the area might make her feel better. I might be inclined to try a drawing salve after draining and disinfecting.

It's a crazy looking lump. From the picture I would almost think it was a tumor except for the yellow underneath.

Poor chicken!

 

[Eggcessive]

I would suspect that she has been vent pecked to start that scabbing, but hard to know. Cancer, a hernia that has popped through the skin could also be possible. Have you seen any other chickens messing with her? They can do it sometimes while on the roost. @azygous is an experienced lady who always give good advice about scabs and wounds. Hopefully, she will take a look at the pictures. My advice would be to continue once a day warm shallow soaks in a dishpan or sink with some Dawn, about a tsp, and use a cloth near the end to see if you can get any of the thick scab off. Then slather plain antibiotic ointment on it, or use Manuka honey or something along that line to keep it soft and promote healing. What does he poop look like? Is she eating and drinking? Can you separate her in a wire dog crate with food and water on a clean towel, but still keep her with the other chickens for company?

 

[ecatt]

I would suspect that she has been vent pecked to start that scabbing, but hard to know. Cancer, a hernia that has popped through the skin could also be possible. Have you seen any other chickens messing with her? They can do it sometimes while on the roost. @azygous is an experienced lady who always give good advice about scabs and wounds. Hopefully, she will take a look at the pictures. My advice would be to continue once a day warm shallow soaks in a dishpan or sink with some Dawn, about a tsp, and use a cloth near the end to see if you can get any of the thick scab off. Then slather plain antibiotic ointment on it, or use Manuka honey or something along that line to keep it soft and promote healing. What does he poop look like? Is she eating and drinking? Can you separate her in a wire dog crate with food and water on a clean towel, but still keep her with the other chickens for company?

Thanks for all the replies. She is looking so well normal eating drinking and poop. I just hope the pain is minimal. We really want to get her better. The yellow you are seeing could be some of the cream. In the morning she always has a jelly on the wound like egg white. The vet said she wasn’t egg bound and I don’t think you get lumps above the vent if she were? The lumps are hard mostly and I have been pulling the scabs off, hence the blood there. I suspect the problem is lower down her vent. None of the lumps feel like fluid in them… It’s just such an odd mess. I only have 3 other girls and this chicken is second in the order, I have never seen any of them picking on her. I am going to keep her seperate but as you suggest in a crate near the others. I will keep putting antiseptic and anti fungal? Cream. If we have no improvement I will look to get her euthanised

 

[The Coop Crew]

Thanks for all the replies. She is looking so well normal eating drinking and poop. I just hope the pain is minimal. We really want to get her better. The yellow you are seeing could be some of the cream. In the morning she always has a jelly on the wound like egg white. The vet said she wasn’t egg bound and I don’t think you get lumps above the vent if she were? The lumps are hard mostly and I have been pulling the scabs off, hence the blood there. I suspect the problem is lower down her vent. None of the lumps feel like fluid in them… It’s just such an odd mess. I only have 3 other girls and this chicken is second in the order, I have never seen any of them picking on her. I am going to keep her seperate but as you suggest in a crate near the others. I will keep putting antiseptic and anti fungal? Cream. If we have no improvement I will look to get her euthanised

I am so sorry
One thing to note is pus in chickens is not fluid like. It is hard so the bump may not feel “full of fluid”.

 

[azygous]

I totally agree with @Eggcessive . This is most likely a pecking wound that has become infected, and the black scabby section may be dying or dead tissue. This is also a very sensitive area to treat, and care should be taken not to cause unnecessary pain.

I also agree soaking is good way to go, but the goal should be to debride all black scabby tissue and all yellow pus first. I've had good luck removing black scabby tissue by coating the scabby area with undiluted Dawn detergent, then holding hot (108F) compresses on it to soften the scabs. Switch out the compresses over about fifteen minutes and the scab should turn to "jelly" and should come off without hurting the hen. If the scab is still hard, renew the Dawn on the scab and do the compresses again.

Soaking in Epsom salts and a wound antiseptic can help with the pus. After soaking for fifteen minutes, use a soft wash cloth to gently scrub the pus away. The debriding and pus removal may take several hours and may need to be done again the next day before you can get it all off. Two sessions over two days may be easier on the hen, as well.

Debriding means to remove all pus and dead or dying tissue, daily if necessary, to promote healing and prevent infection. Since she has a stubborn infection, I would debride daily for at least the next five days. This has been shown to be a very beneficial way to treat infected wounds in animals. People, as well, as I can personally attest to.

To debride on a daily schedule, prepare the Epsom soak. Immerse the hen so water covers the wound. Soak for fifteen minutes, then use a soft wash cloth to gently scrub the wounded tissue. This removes bacteria as well as skin cells that are no longer viable. These cells invite bacteria. Removing them by debriding gives bacteria no chance, and healing is greatly expedited.

For an uncooperative chicken who hates to be in a tub of water, I take a milk crate and invert it over the tub, elevating it on supports so she still has comfortable head room but low enough the chicken is forced to squat in the water so water covers the wound. This frees you to go do other things while she soaks. But don't get side-tracked and forget she's soaking.