Feather folliculoma in a Japanese quail

Feather folliculoma are the benign cystic growth of the feather follicular epithelium in birds. A two month old Japanese quail carcass was presented for necropsy. On external examination, skin over the back revealed multiple yellowish raised irregularly spherical firm masses. It contained yellowish white caseous mass with feather remnants. Microscopically, the mass revealed multiple cystic cavities lined by thick multiple layers of squamous epithelium. The lumen contained irregular keratin material and poor downward grown feathers which were arranged in curls. Infiltrations of heterophils were also observed. Based on the histolopathological appearance, the case was diagnosed as feather folliculoma in a Japanese quail.