Tumor/Growth on Hen

[Wyorp Rock]

Following.

 

[mamahen_mary]

A BIG thank you to everyone who has commented and given suggestions on how to help our hen.
Update on Trumpkin the Hen..... After chatting with a few people and reading though suggestions on this thread we think she may have a breast blister or infection from an injury of some sort. So far no fever or other symptoms. We put her back with the flock today and will monitor the lump and her condition. Tomorrow we plan on cleaning and then slathering the lump with Neosporin and then covering it with Vaseline. Here's to hoping she stays healthy

 

[Nambroth]

While I haven't (yet?) experienced it myself, cutaneous Marek's tumors from my research don't look like this. I am not saying it's NOT Marek's: simply that this doesn't look like a typical Marek's tumor. Lymphoid Leukosis generally manifests as tumors on viscera and not as a cutaneous lesion. My best guess would be ingrown feathers or an old hidden wound that developed an infection that the body walled off (similar to the staph that causes bumblefoot).

Mareks vaccination is a leaky vaccine and the bird can still get symptoms so it can't be ruled out. And so your aware too, don't get birds that aren't vaccinated and bring them into your flock cause vaccinated birds can pass mareks to unvaccinated birds. I hope it's just an abcess of some sort.

Not true, that's not what a leaky vaccine means. It just means it's not a perfect immunity, so any bird exposed to Marek's might become a carrier. ANY chicken, vaccinated or not, must first be exposed to Marek's in order to spread/pass it on to others. The vaccine alone can not cause the spread of Marek's disease. Vaccinated birds are simply more likely to survive exposure, and therefore may be silent carriers. But they must be exposed before they can be carriers. Be careful as this misinformation sometimes means people don't vaccinate, based on a misunderstanding.

 

[Nambroth]

Yes I did go back thru and reread it and you are right on they still have to be exposed. I however feel if the vaccine has caused it to spread faster, I would rather not vaccinate and breed for hardy birds. Guess it's damned if you do and damned if you don't. Thanks for explaining it.

No problem. It's a very frustrating virus and the commercial poultry world has seemingly made it worse. The choice to vaccinate is a personal one and I try not to influence people's decision one way or the other, but I want to make sure they have the facts before they decide.

 

[Nambroth]

I think too, the article says it's better to vaccinate cause the vaccination itself has cause it to spread like wildfire so now it's almost better to just let every bird carry it. I don't like that thought.

The virus was known to be fairly ubiquitous before the vaccination was first created; it did truthfully kill countless birds both in the industry and on individual's properties before we ever developed a vaccine. Some studies show that this family of virus (herpesviruses) are some of the oldest on the planet.
It was often not called by name but old farmers and poultry keepers often knew if a young bird developed "The Splits" that it was likely to die. What we are finding now is that the vaccine has probably just accelerated the virus' evolution/mutation into strains that are more deadly, given the conditions in commercial poultry operations. Similar to how an overuse of antibiotics in some situations have created antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The answer isn't necessarily to stop using antibiotics but to be careful and selective in their use, and continue researching better ways. In this way, vaccination (and I'm talking only about Marek's now, other diseases/vaccines are different!) might not be right for everyone, but is still the best choice for some, depending on their poultry goals. It is my hope that we might develop a perfect vaccine for this virus one day. Fingers crossed!

 

[Eggcessive]

That is what I was wondering about a warble fly with maggots. Should they try flushing out the wound with soapy water, and applying some ointment. Or maybe some screw worm spray or permethrin? Many people use an Epsom salts bath to try to get maggot larvae out.

 

[mamahen_mary]

Could this be fly strike?

I've seen only one case of fly strike but you could clearly see maggots in the hole.

We've dealt with fly strike.... it is much stinkier and the maggots are pretty obvious.
It's a curious one....

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

You cleaned it up really well. Very curious indeed.

 

[TwoCrows]

Then its either as Eggcessive suggested some sort of tumor or an ingrown feather. A few types of viruses do cause tumors in chickens, Mareks and Avian Luekosis comes to mind.

As suggested, soaking in Epsom salt might suck the poisons out, a warm compress might be the easier route than soaking the entire bird. Maybe even some Colidal silver sprayed on a couple times a day.

 

[TwoCrows]

Should I be more concerned about her watery/loose stool and poop covered vent area? We've had to wash it 2 days in a row.....

The loose stool may or may not be related. What color is the poop? Urates? Do the butt feathers smell really musty sour? (Intestinal yeast infections make the butt feathers smell very strong)

Bacterial infections can cause fever. Feel the feet. It they are ripping hot and or the bird is pulling their wings away from the body or even panting, I would suspect bacterial infection. This is if this is an ingrown feather/feather cyst and the infection has progressed enough for the birds temp to rise in order to kill the bacteria.