Broiler w/ Huge Sack on Chest

[blueheeler1998]

I have a broiler chicken that is 6 weeks old. She has a huge bubble on her chest that I thought was a ruptured air sac. I tried letting the air out by lancing it like I read to do on this site. It didn't work. Got a small amount off blood, but no air. She is half the size of the rest of the broilers. The lump didn't have any fluid come out of it, it is warm, it doesn't feel full of food like an impacted crop. I don't really know what else to try. The right size of her chest is biggest, but the left is also full of something. It is just half the size. Any suggestions would be appreciated. She is eating some, but gets pushed out the way by the bigger birds. I was going to seperate her today, but didn't know what was wrong. Didn't want her to gorge on food if that was something that could hurt her. Thanks in advance.

 

[PoultryPedia]

Triple-check that it's not her crop (since that's on the right side of her chest). Look at her very first thing in the morning. If the swelling is her crop, it should be smaller in the morning because she won't have started eating for the day.

Does she seem to be eating normally?

I hope if it's a significant problem that she recovers quickly. Best wishes!

 

[blueheeler1998]

Hi. Just checked her this morning and it is pretty big and about equal on both sides of her body. She is eating and drinking, she isn't weak or sickly, she is just a lot smaller. She is also pooping. I tried lancing it again in a couple of different spots, still nothing comes out, no air, no fluid, nothing. I have no clue. I figure I will just let her be. The others are going to be processed next week. I will be keeping her around until it gets better or nature takes its course. I thought I might put her on antibiotics incase it is an infection.

 

[PoultryPedia]

Wow--sounds like quite a mystery!
This thread says fungus can cause this--http://www.thepoultrysite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3812
This thread talks about crop rot--http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110505070644AA9Xewa
Ascites?
Lymphoid Leukemia?
Peritonitis?
or ??

I hope these can help or someone else can chip in some possibility.