Anything wrong with this?

[kjducharme]

I hope I'm posting this on the correct index, and I'm sorry if I misuse any chicken terms, as we are new to chickens and still learning. This is not an emergency but we're not sure if this is normal or not. Have almost 11 week old birds (2 ISA browns, 1 Amerecauna hen, 1 cockerel and one barred rock, the other died). I just noticed today on the female Amerecauna that she has a very defined baseball-size squishy mass, feels subcutaneous (like a water ballon just under the skin) centered on the breast just below the neck. She's not acting funny but coincidentally (or maybe not) she has vomited twice (that we know of), once yesterday, once today, but both times were while my son (4 yrs old) was holding her on her back. Other than that we have not noticed anything different. I checked the others and did notice a similar finding on one of the Isa Browns but much smaller, maybe the size of a ping pong ball. Does anyone know what this is, is it bad? I work in the medical field and happen to have sterile syringes/needles and was tempted to aspirate it to find out what was inside, but thought it would be best to post here first!!!

 

[Lothiriel]

That's the crop -- where all the food goes and gets crushed up by the little stones they eat. It's perfectly normal.

 

[sonew123]

Its her crop...she probably just ate and your son picked her up and she puked the food up from being held a tad to tightly? Thats food you are seeing in her crop. It will be gone by morning I wouldn't let your son pick them up after eating just like a baby

 

[kjducharme]

LOL!! Thanks every one!! I knew the crop was in that area, but for some reason thought it would be deeper inside vs so superficial!! Don't I feel silly!!

. And yes, we try to monitor our little guy and how he handles them...easier said than done w/ an independent little 4 yr old!! Yesterday she threw up right on his head, I guess he was trying to put her up on the roof of the coop...
Thanks again!!

 

[kjducharme]

Ok, so my poor Amerecauna still has a grossly enlarged crop. At this point it is about the size of a grapefruit. She is still alive, eating and pooping, so I guess it's not too horrible, but she s starting to look worse than the others who have now grown bigger and look much healthier. Her crop remains soft and squishy like a water balloon (so I don't think it's impacted) and when isolated with just water overnight it does decrease in size a bit. What could be the problem? What can I do for her? Looking for any helpful hints.

 

[sonew123]

Quote:
Does she free range? She could have eaten a bunch of hay or grass that has now caused her crop to be plugged up

 

[foxypoproxy]

It could be an impacted crop.
If she hasn't been eating enough grit to break down her food in her gizzard, it may be causing her a problem.
Eating hay can also cause an impacted crop or vent.

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Here's an old pic of a Golden Campine with a full crop:

 

[kjducharme]

They do free range, we just started adding oyster shells to their feed upon recommendation. I have also been massaging it as one forum member had suggested. What else can I do for her? Should I keep her from ranging? Should I isolate and only give water? I'll try to post a photo, it almost hangs to the ground and she can't hold her head up like the others

. Thanks for the help!

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Quote:
If she has impacted crop don't give grit right now but if a sluggish crop (sour crop) I'd make sure you offer grit in a bowl next to the feed.

There are some posts about feeding olive oil soaked bread pieces and crop massage for sour crop. There is a crop surgery thread if impacted. Sorry I have no experience with either. I have also read that crop massage can damage muscles over time but not sure if that is true.

Just thought I'd list all this out here so you can google and verify if interested. (Also search BYC.)

There are many many threads on sour crop and impacted crop.

Hopefully others will continue to add to the thread.

http://www.browneggblueegg.com/Article.html
If you click on the articles on the left you can find one on impacted crop. I would not recommend inducing vomiting myself.