Suspected feather follicle cyst.

[HollyHay]

Hi everyone,
My hen Vicki is coming out of a molting season where she stopped laying and lost her whole tail. This has happened before, so not an issue. I noticed that she has developed a lump on her back near her tail feathers.
She’s eating, pooping, and generally moving ok. Doesn’t seem to be in any pain, and is behaving similarly to how she does when she’s molting (a bit quiet, and lower energy, and a bit more shy).
So I think one of her new feathers has become ingrown and created a cyst. The skin is a little more yellow, definitely a large swelling, but doesn’t seem infected (not red or warm) and it doesn’t seem to hurt when you poke it lightly.
So question is: should I try and drain it? Or leave it alone? Or see a vet?

(Photo of current condition compared with her normal appearance)

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi everyone,
I noticed that she has developed a lump on her back near her tail feathers.
So I think one of her new feathers has become ingrown and created a cyst. The skin is a little more yellow, definitely a large swelling, but doesn’t seem infected (not red or warm) and it doesn’t seem to hurt when you poke it lightly.
So question is: should I try and drain it? Or leave it alone? Or see a vet?
(Photo of current condition compared with her normal appearance)

Welcome To BYC
I do see the photo of comparison, but all I see is that her tail is down and her cushion is more pronounced. Can you get a photo of the yellowing skin and large swelling, where you suspect the follicle is impacted?

 

[HollyHay]

Will try to get another photo.
I thought she might have still been missing some tail feathers, hence the strange appearance, but it would appear that she can’t raise it.

 

[HollyHay]

Couldn’t really find exactly which feather I thought was causing the issue, and tried to get a photo of the yellow skin.

 

[Presleigh_801]

I think u should see vet but I’m not a super smart person when it comes to birds. Hope she’s ok

 

[micstrachan]

Can you feel a lump? is it firm or more squishy?

 

[HollyHay]

It feels fairly firm, and it’s quite broad. The hen was quirming and being noisy when we were trying to look at it, not sure if she was in pain, or upset at being handled.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Couldn’t really find exactly which feather I thought was causing the issue, and tried to get a photo of the yellow skin.

It feels fairly firm, and it’s quite broad. The hen was quirming and being noisy when we were trying to look at it, not sure if she was in pain, or upset at being handled.

It's hard to hold them and examine them at the same time, you might find it easier to stand her on a table, having a helper is good too.

The yellow, what does that feel like? Fat, fluid, air?
Has she resumed laying eggs yet?
Did you find her preening gland, did that look o.k.?

 

[HollyHay]

Absolutely, and this Queen hates being handled. I’ll wrap her in a towel next time to have a better look at her.
Until now I hadn’t heard of that gland, so hadn’t checked it (just looked it up on wiki).
So what should I look for when I get my hands on her next time? See if I can find a particular follicle causing the problem? See if the gland is clean?
Any idea why the whole cushion would be swollen and why she can’t lift her tail?
When you poke it, it seems quite like a large thick cyst that humans get. Doesn’t seem fluidy, more solid.
And like I mentioned, chicky started high pitched sqwarking when I was lifting her feathers to have a look, but she might have just been unhappy with being handled rather than in pain.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Any possibility that she's been injured somehow, maybe something fell across her back?

I think I understand what you are saying from your description. Is vet care an option for you? If it were only one spot, I might would be inclined to see what came out if pricked or lanced but with it being a large area across her back, I would be very hesitant to do that.