Uropygial gland dysfunction/removal

[lgyure85]

Has anyone had any experience having their chicken's preen gland surgically removed? My 4 year old silkie hen has always had issues with it(she has extremely thick, chunky gland oil, and I've had to regularly express it in the past). Recently, one duct was completely obstructed, and the gland was about to burst, so I opened it up emergently (with a marcaine injection first). I've just been keeping it clean with BluCote (messy, but extremely effective). Now that she's over the initial hump, though, I don't think I can clear the duct, and I don't want to keep having to open it up. She is otherwise healthy, and has been eating and laying normally.


I'm really just wondering if they do well long term, and about what you paid for it, since I doubt my vet has ever done one before. I'll probably assist him in surgery, though, so any tips are welcome from the vet community.

 

[Kiki]

Do you have any pictures of the issues?

 

[casportpony]

Talk to your vet about culturing it to see if there is an overgrowth of bacteria or fungi involved. Also talk to your vet about giving some vitamin a.

If your vet needs to, have them contact Dr. Speer, he does consults.
https://www.medicalcenterforbirds.com/doctors.pml

 

[lgyure85]

Do you have any pictures of the issues?

I have pictures of the secretions? This is an issue I have, to a significantly lesser degree, on my other Silkie. On my other hens I can barely even feel where the bulbs are in the sides of the gland, but on those two it's often a lump the size of a filbert (hazelnut).