Anyone know about a big round bulge on chicks chest? Is it normal?

[CA Bean]

Hey everyone, new to chickies and had a quick question..So we have 16 chicks total now and just got these 4 today. 2 are meat birds Cornish X, and 2 are Ameraucanas. I had gotten 2 of the Ameraurcanas a couple days prior from the same batch and didn't notice any of the birds with this on it- bump on chest. So the 2 Cornish X chicks all are at a couple days old and one of the Ameraucana chicks have this tumor or round 1/2 dollar/quarter size round tumorish bump on its chest. I thought it could be normal for the meat birds since they get broad chests was my figuring but then the 1 Ameraucana had it too. What is this and is this normal? Does anyone know or should I post it somewhere else?
Should I return these guys? None of my other chicks have that.
Please let me know.
Thanks!

 

[Mrs MIA]

Have they just eaten? It could be that their crop is full. That is normal. If you don't think it's that, could you post a photo?

 

[hoosierhen]

How old are they?

 

[CA Bean]

They are more like 6 days old is when the feed store got them in. I will try to post a pic in a few but none of my other ones have this. It literally feels like a weid big tumor that moves around on their chest when I pick them up.

 

[hoosierhen]

Souds like a full crop. Is it more pronounced after they eat?

 

[CA Bean]

Ok lets see if I can load this pic

one that is normal looking..

and the weird bulby round thing when I pick this guy up. The Cornish X

 

[Mahonri]

Just means you are feeding them well. Full crops.

 

[CA Bean]

OMG! What a relief...but whoa that is weird, their stomachs on their chest..
??

Hmm my other ones never feel this way..hope everything is ok with them.

 

[brandywine]

The crop is not the stomach.

Think of the crop as like a hamster's cheeks. The bird forages and food sits and waits in the crop until it can be accommodated in the true stomach (where chemical action starts to break it down) then ground up in the gizzard, then maybe sent back to the stomach if necessary. Sort of a reverse cud-chewing.

Google image search "chicken anatomy" for charts of these organs. In a chicken, the crop is on the right side of the bird.

If you feel the crop of a bird that has been eating, say, large whole grains, you can feel every kernel.

 

[Linda in San Diego]

You should see the crop on baby parrots. There is not a lot of down on them and on light skinned birds you can actually see the crop filling and emptying with food.
I keep saying that at least chickens can feed themselves from day one. NOt like the parrots....