Tumor or Cyst on Hen's bottom

[Calluna]

Hi there,

I'm a chicken lover by nature and happy to have acquired my first backyard flock within the last couple months. I have a hen that is acting fine, but has a large growth coming out of her bottom, not her vent, more to the right of that. She's passing stools just fine. Has anyone ever seen anything like this? She is a 17 wk. old barred rock. We were thinking at first it was a prolapse vent or she was egg bound, but the growth isn't coming from there... Any ideas on what it could be and if it is curable?

 

[Happy Chooks]

No idea, but that doesn't look good.

 

[Calluna]

I know, right?

We tried Prep H to take the swelling down, but that didn't do anything. I've read that if it's a cyst, we may be able to soak her bottom in warm water which may cause her body to reabsorb some of the hard-stuff inside it...

If anyone has other ideas, I'm willing to try anything at this point.

Thanks!

 

[krookedfoot]

I was just wondering what happened with your cyst? Did it go away on its own? My Seabright has a similar growth, not nearly as big, on her belly. She is acting fine, laying eggs, but it just looks bad... Any ideas or advice would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Calluna]

We never did figure out what it was. The other birds started picking on her so we ended up putting her down. We kept her separated for a time and would put her back in the main coop to sleep at night, but the separation pushed her way down the line in pecking order, which didn't help matters. It was sad.

And since then we lost another of our Barred Rocks as she was egg bound, or at least that's what I think.

What I've read since regarding cysts is that the hard substance inside, when heat is applied, kind of melts like butter or wax and is reabsorbed into the body. If you have the time, hot compresses may work. I'd give that a try.

The other thing to look at, (again from what I've read, no experience on this) would be the crop is enlarged? You could maybe do a search on BYC for that and see if there are any photos?

Hope things work out!

 

[krookedfoot]

Thanks so much for the info, and i am sorry about your hen, I hate not know what is wrong and not being able to fix it. It is definitely not her crop or egg bound. She has been separate from the rest of my flock for a few months...she currently lives inside as a pet so i will definitely try the heat compress. Thank you again.

 

[Michigan Chicken]

This is what my hen's problem looks like. I think it might be a tumor.

 

[Eggcessive]

This is what my hen's problem looks like. I think it might be a tumor.

Can you start a new thread and include pictures of the vent area? Is her tail up or down in position? Has she been laying eggs recently?

I just saw where you did post a thread. Please include a picture. If possible take her in where flies do not get to her. A simple soak in a dish pan or sink with warm soapy water or salt water can help to get anything off the vent area where a good picture can be taken.

 

[LaFleche]

This is what my hen's problem looks like. I think it might be a tumor.

If you actully have a hen showing this same problem: it is a prolapsed egg still inside the oviduct.

 

[Michigan Chicken]

If you actully have a hen showing this same problem: it is a prolapsed egg still inside the oviduct.

could be. It is egg sized. Looks for all the world like a pus covered egg trying to break through the hen's belly. I just soaked her in salt water again and sprayed with a livestock insecticide and an anti bacterial. She is surprisingly lively. Hard to get a photo while holding her upside down without a second person. But it looks just like the posted photo, except, where it joins the belly there is a nasty grey that looks like the lip of a hole into the belly. Main goal is to keep the maggots off her. She isn't going to live.