Need urgent bird health help.

[RSPcrazy]

I have been caring for a bird that fell out of its nest in my front yard just over a week ago. But today I noticed his right wing looks like its irritating him. I had a look and saw a very large, sore looking lump, right where one of the feathers stick into the wing.
I did notice that feather has been sitting funny for the past 1-2 days.

I called the vet, but can't see anyone that deals with birds until Thursday.

Does anyone know what this is?
What caused it?
And what to do about it? (At least until I can get to the vet)



Thanks in advance.

 

[JAS101]

it looks like its infected , could it be a bone ?

 

[Radar]

Every chance a feather quill has snapped off when it hit the ground, and the base is still in there causing issues. As to how to fix it - no idea sorry.

 

[Wing_Nut]

It looks like a feather cyst, where the growing feathers fail to break the skin, much like an ingrown hair follicle. It will require vetinary intervention (most likely surgury) and antibiotics.

 

[Becceles]

Hi RSPcrazy, you should take the bird to your local shelter or wildlife organisation. They'll be able to place it with an experienced wildlife carer.

 

[The_Geeza]

Looks to me to be an infected blood clot caused by a broken growing quill ( which contains blood till fully developed)... If I was there but I'm not I would clip the feather nearer the body and apply antiseptic cream and keep drying with paper towel till dried... I was lucky enough in 10 yrs of flying birds of prey to not have this happen... Tho I was forever super gluing cocktail sticks in all the tail feathers due to my birds still needed a good rudder when hunting... The buggers used to break them all the time....birds r pretty hardy as long as it's not been infected for to long

- - - Updated - - -

Having a better look now... It looks like all feathers r fully developed?.... Baffling as 90% of a wing is grown dead tissue.... Is it coming off the body? Need alittle more info... If it's a juvie then as I said above

 

[RSPcrazy]

Well he's definitely still a juvenile. I used to watch the parents feeding him in the tree in my front yard. Then one day he had fallen out and the parents came back and destroyed the nest. He stayed at the bottom of the tree for 2 days until I took him in (I thought he would fly away, as he had well developed feathers, but he didn't). He has grown more/bigger feathers since taking him in.

He requires a lot of attention, I need to feed him a variety of foods every 1-2 hours at most, sometimes less, as he lets me know when he's hungry. He still sits in his nest (that I salvaged from the front yard) and squawks with an open mouth until I stick some food down his throat.

He has recently started testing his wings (flapping on the spot and flying short distances from his nest to my knee, then begging me for more food).

I have raised birds from the egg before, but I've been lucky to not have any health issues, which is why I'm asking here if theirs anything I can do until the vet on Thursday?

The lump only has one feather coming out of the middle of it. It seems to be causing him a bit of discomfort, but he can still use his wing, so I don't think it's broken.

 

[The_Geeza]

If the lump is on a quill then cut it back as I previously stated as if infected it will draw back down...just be aware if it's a under developed quill then it is still full of blood and will get pretty messy... If u really worried and the bird takes a backward step then a vet is the best bet for antibiotics .... I would be snipping the infected feather back.... Tho u still haven't stated if this is an undeveloped quill or not?... Run ya fingers past the lump and tell me if the quill is normal looking going in to the wing [MENTION=29801]RSPcrazy[/MENTION]

 

[RSPcrazy]

If the lump is on a quill then cut it back as I previously stated as if infected it will draw back down...just be aware if it's a under developed quill then it is still full of blood and will get pretty messy... If u really worried and the bird takes a backward step then a vet is the best bet for antibiotics .... I would be snipping the infected feather back.... Tho u still haven't stated if this is an undeveloped quill or not?... Run ya fingers past the lump and tell me if the quill is normal looking going in to the wing @RSPcrazy

I'm afraid I don't know bird talk, the best I could do in regards to identifying an under developed quill, was get this photo.



I tryed feeling around the area to see if the feather wend into the wing, but it feels like a big sack of water, so I can't feel or see the feather once it's gone into the lump.

 

[The_Geeza]

Vet is the best option as it looks infected even right near your finger....A feather u pick up in the garden has a hollow tube... When growing and developing the feather it's full of blood ... Let us know how ya get on

 

[RSPcrazy]

Vet is the best option as it looks infected even right near your finger....A feather u pick up in the garden has a hollow tube... When growing and developing the feather it's full of blood ... Let us know how ya get on

Ok thanks, I'll let you know how it goes at the vet.

 

[Chris82]

Blood feather maybe?? I think the feather needs to be pulled out.

 

[Woma_Wild]

Contact WIRES. They'll get it picked up and give it the care it needs then release it.
poor birdie.

 

[coastalboy]

I'm afraid I don't know bird talk, the best I could do in regards to identifying an under developed quill, was get this photo.



I tryed feeling around the area to see if the feather wend into the wing, but it feels like a big sack of water, so I can't feel or see the feather once it's gone into the lump.

I think you will find that when u take him to a vet they will remove all the feathers in the infected area. "the big one looks like the main problem" then they will apply some antiseptic cream and give him back... maybe this is why the parents left him? animals can sense when something is wrong and half the time kick the young out of the nest. I say this is how you ended up with him because in the wild it possibly would have got that bad it would have affected the ability to fly and he would of became prey.

Hope all goes well!

 

[Becceles]

RSPcrazy even though you have raised birds from the egg before, wildlife is a very different matter. The bird is obviously suffering and a wildlife organisation is the best thing for it. They don't have to wait to see a vet and they can help the bird to be released safely. Wildlife is not the same as domestic birds and shouldn't be treated as such. By not taking it to someone more experienced you are seriously jeopardising the life of the bird.