Abscess, pock, sinuses or pecking injury??

geowoman · Jan 19, 2014

Hiya! My hybrid layer, Silver, has an injury above her eye. It started out small, looking like pox or a pecking injury (recently married two flocks). Today I noticed it has grown quite large. She doesn't seem to have respiratory issues, she's still laying and is ranging and eating well. She seems 100%. I'm not sure how I should go about the first aid for this. Should I pull the scab off and clean? Let it go? Put ointment on as is? Thanks so much!!
Tara

Judy · Jan 19, 2014

I'd say it is abscessed or infected at this point, however it started. Pox is usually on the comb and wattles. You could just put Neosporin or something similar on it, but I would say it needs to be drained, looking at the size of it. It looks to me like there is pus under the scab that needs to come out.

cowboy1up · Jan 19, 2014

Sorry your baby has such a sore. Probably originally from a peck and/or follow up pecks. Chickens can be nasty to each other. While there are a number of medications that can help heal, I highly recommend Vicks Vapor Rub. It is a great healer I have used on my injured hens PLUS a hen pecking that spot will get Vicks in its mouth and that is usually the end of that! Vicks is inexpensive compared to other meds. Vicks has all natural healing ingredients more than the label these days shows. Give it a try and best of luck. From Mt Juliet Tennessee.

Eggcessive · Jan 19, 2014

It does look like an infected peck wound. I would probably get some help, disinfect the wound, and lance it or cut into it a bit, so that the pus underneath could be squeezed out. Pus tends to solidify into a waxy glob in chickens, so you may need to squeeze a bit. Then I would try to keep it open for a day or two with cleaning, and applying Neosporin or other antibiotic ointment without a painkiller.

geowoman · Jan 19, 2014

Oh, thanks so much! I'm looking forward to my first... uh, pus extraction. Lol. They seem to be leaving her alone, thankfully. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

casportpony · Jan 19, 2014

geowoman said:
Oh, thanks so much! I'm looking forward to my first... uh, pus extraction. Lol. They seem to be leaving her alone, thankfully. I'll keep my fingers crossed.

You'll be fine!

-Kathy

geowoman · Jan 21, 2014

Ok. I did a little cleaning last night but couldn't get the pus out with just tweezers, so I cleaned it and packed it with neosporin. Got the right tools today. However. When looking at pics from last night I see that there is another cyst-like thing on her wattle just below her mouth. Then this morning I see that there are two more small spots below that. I'll try to catch her to get pics of the new spots (She's wily!). So... I've looked through the forum and I can't find anything like this. Cysts??? Thoughts??? Should I quarantine? I see nothing on the others. Thanks again!!

casportpony · Jan 21, 2014

I don't want to scare you, but was she vaccinated for Marek's? I'd probably try slicing it open to see if it is actually pus and not a tumor.

-Kathy

geowoman · Jan 21, 2014

She was vaccinated, or was *supposed* to be. What would a tumor look like? A "growth" as compared to the waxy pus? Thanks!
Tara

casportpony · Jan 21, 2014

geowoman said:
She was vaccinated, or was *supposed* to be. What would a tumor look like? A "growth" as compared to the waxy pus? Thanks!
Tara

This is a Marek's skin tumor that I found during a necropsy on me beloved Wingman.

-Kathy

Abscess, pock, sinuses or pecking injury??

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