Ear Cyst

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by Sharon
(Ohio)

Question

I have a 1 year old Copper Maran rooster that developed a cherry tomato sized ear cyst on one ear.

When I palpated the cyst I found it fixed and directly behind/inside his ear opening. The cyst grew fast.

The cyst became open and drained and the size has decreased. Then a smaller cyst appeared in his other ear opening. I opted not to try to treat or remove concerned I would cause more injury and possibly spread the infection.

I am familiar with ingrown feather cysts in birds and am wondering if the small feathers at his ears might have caused this.

I've raised chickens for many years and never seen the likes, nor have any of my "chicken friends".

He has a good appetite and stays with the flock, but shakes his head some. What coud be the cause & treatment.

I cannot afford a vet bill for him and hate to put him down as long as he is OK otherwise.

Answer
It is doubtful that the cysts are the result of ingrown feathers. Just as in humans, the growth of cysts can oftentimes be unexplainable.

Occasionally, the cysts can go away just as quickly as they appeared.

It is concerning to me that the rooster shakes his head. This is his way of signaling to you that his ears are bothering him.

I understand that treatments can be costly but I would advise at least an exam by the veterinarian.

Your vet may find that it is not a cyst at all but merely an abscess or other simple issue that can be rectified quickly and inexpensively.