What the heck is this?

[Catnip5]

So my Roo Clark is looking very anemic so I wanted to give him a full physical today. The girls in the flock all seem healthy with good color. Anyway I gave Clark some poultry drench and sprayed him just in case he has mites, though I don't really see any. Anyway, he's lost weight and I discovered this weird lump on his wing - feels very waxy and hard and it's very securely attached to his feathers...he didn't like me messing with it and I was tempted to cut it off but I think it might bleed. Any clue what this is and could it be at the root of his anemia and weight loss? I hate to isolate him from his girls but he is going to need supportive care until I can get his weight back up. He enjoyed his mealworms so he's eating when he's interested.

 

[KadeSilkies21]

I haven't ever seen something like this before however after doing some research I would suggest to take him straight to the Vet. This could be cancer or something alike. Good luck, I hope Clark will be ok!

 

[Eggcessive]

It does look like some sort of cyst or tumor as much as I can see. I would keep an eye on it, perhaps measure it now, and watch for it to increase in size.
For trying to get him to eat better, you may want to mix a wet mash of chicken feed, water, and add a little chopped egg. Rinsed canned tuna or salmon are also good.

 

[chuckachucka]

How big is it? Can't really tell from your photo. Crazy idea, but any possibility it is a tick attached to his skin?

 

[micstrachan]

I have the same question... size? I agree this is probably a vet issue. Any possibility of cutting off the circulation with thread or floss like one would do to a skin tac?

 

[Holliberri]

Yeah, my first thought was a tick as well, but hard to tell the size bas d on the photo.

 

[Catnip5]

Thanks all. Definitely not a tick. Size i would equate with a marble. It's somewhat translucent and feels like a ball of wax that's adhered to the feathers and skin and it is hidden by feathers. I only discovered it by feeling him all over. When I considered clipping it off I mad a few snips it it, it's very dense and once I did they turned pink as if they might bleed but didn't. It looks a little yellow in the photos but I think that's from my touching squeezing etc just after feeding nutrition drench. It has a tiny black pin size hole...made me think of a cuterebra type thing. I plan to give him a private feeding session this morning again. He ate the mealworm mash yesterday really well. I thought he'd be less stressed with his girls than isolated in the house with me. I get some more pictures as well. It's like a hard but pliable glob of white wax...so strange. More later. Obviously it's not common or I'd have heard more feedback. Thanks!

 

[Sue Gremlin]

My first thought was that it's pus. The fact that he's sick and anemic would work with that theory, too. He may have an infection or an abcess. Can you feel what's going on under the lump? Can you clearly see how the lump is attached? What is his body condition?

 

[Catnip5]

So I definitely aggravated it yesterday and decided it had to come off. I cut it carefully working from the top and side until I was able to essentially dig it out. The remaining skin sack was too painful to cut so I flushed it with a betadine solution and dressed it with Blu-Kote antiseptic spray. Clark was great through the whole procedure except that last attempt to cut the leftover skin. Hoping it just dries up and falls off but will have to keep my eyes on it and apply antiseptic as needed.
It looks like a weird cyst, hard, like dried blue cheese with feather flecks. I hope I can get his iron level up. He's looking pretty anemic to me. Subdued but crowing and eating. See pics. I included his feet because they look so pale and fat but he's my only Roo so I'm not sure they are typically fatter

 

[Trish1974]

Good job, Catnip!