All the BYC people - please help!!!!

[chickenprnces]

I have a 2 month old LF NH red x Australorp with an issue! At the spot that would I guess be her shoulder she has a huge bubble under her skin that is clearly loaded with fluid! What could it be? Should I be trying to drain it??

 

[Lothiriel]

I'm not really sure... It could be an abcess, and if it is, I'd try to drain it. Sorry I'm not much help with this type of stuff. Wishing you good luck!

 

[chickenprnces]

I'm not really sure... It could be an abcess, and if it is, I'd try to drain it. Sorry I'm not much help with this type of stuff. Wishing you good luck!

Thanks for trying!!!!!

 

[kla37]

If it looks like it's right under the skin, I'd try to drain it too. Is there a wound there?

 

[hollymh]

have no idea, here's a bump

 

[chickenprnces]

If it looks like it's right under the skin, I'd try to drain it too. Is there a wound there?

Nope! No cut, no blood - just a big bubble!

 

[chickenprnces]

have no idea, here's a bump

Thanks!!!

 

[elevan]

If it looks full of fluid then I would stick a syringe in and draw out the fluid. The color of the fluid can tell you a lot and by pulling it out with a syringe you'll know how much is in there (again something that can be telling).

 

[zzGypsy]

don't know if this happens on chickens, but we've had it happen on sheep - huge bulge on a shoulder, size of a goose egg, slightly squishy, not hard. vet suggested we sterilize a needle and try to draw fluid. got a little blood and some clear liquid, probably serum, no puss. vet said "bruise with swelling". two days later, we had puss leaking from the needle hole. vet said "yeah, that sometimes happens when you lance a bruise - you introduce germs and get an infection". so we created a problem where there wasn't one. once we had puss, we had to open it further, flush it, and give antibiotics.

 

[kla37]

Chickens are pretty darn tough, since they're avian not mammals. Their immune systems are pretty impressive! The problem with a fluid filled cyst on a shoulder is it may inhibit wing motility. If the needle is sterilized first, it should be all right. You can spray a little AluShield on the site afterwards, or some BluKote.