wierd bump, protrusion, ingrown feather... actually preening gland

[RedDrgn]

Yep, and it's fun watching them use it and grooming themselves....dang, they have the most amazing dexterity of the neck!

I remember when my DH and I first noticed this on our chickens and were like "WTH??!", but we knew it was probably no coincidence that they all had it and rubbed it while preening. Once we looked it up it was like "Huh, handy!" Once they had fully feathered out, it always looked like they were opening a lid of feathers on their back when they'd expose it during their preening. To this day we still jokingly refer to it as "opening the trunk".

 

[jesss]

I also came here looking for info about impacted feathers. Thanks for this post - you saved my hen some unnecessary treatment/torment.

 

[clo pie]

Thank you so much I was so wred!

But now I know what it is I am so happy my 3 chickens are HAPPY

!!

 

[RMo2]

THANK YOU! I was just about to ask if anyone would know what the "projection" on my girls' back was!

 

[mamaluvschick]

Yes, thanks for posting this. I was beside my self trying to figure it out. One of my other chickens has bumble foot pretty bad and we are dealing with that, and I really didn't want to deal with something else. Thanks for taking the stress out of it for me.

 

[LaynaDon95]

I was dusting my chickens for mites once about a year ago and saw that on my RIR hen. I was all "What the HECK!?"

I got my rooster and looked for it on him and found it, and told my mom. She was concerned they are sick. I said "Well, they were kinda oily, so maybe it's an oil gland or something." I looked it up and sure enough! I may have gotten a little too prideful over that.

Sorry, mom.

 

[kiwifgal]

Mmmm.... so I saw this thing on my hen's back and thought it was the problem but obviously NOT.
Why would she be mooching around with her tail draggin on the ground but otherwise fine?

 

[Porch Chickens]

Thank goodness from me, too! We had noticed this on on of our birds and also thought ingrown feather. i feel sick thinking someone somewhere has probably tried to pluck one of these!

 

[KatieKanDo]

Has anyone heard of the preening gland getting infected or cancerous? My Australorp has had a very red swollen area about two inches square just before her tail. Feathers would try to grow, but she would pick the area bare.I though perhaps feather mites were irritating her so I treated her and the coup for those. I also tried antibacterial ointment under a saddle for a few days and that didn't help. I should get a picture of it. Very red and warm and the skin is very thick and callous like a growth. Sweet bird, good layer. Doesn't seem to affect her appetite. She has to keep her tail up though because the other hens are curious about her condition and will peck at it.

 

[Sarevan]

KatieKanDo - I would start a new thread about this and post pics, you have to have 10 posts to put pics in your thread. Go to Social or other posts and just comment. This sounds like something the more experienced people need to see.