Chick with lump

[Jen]

Hi all,
I'm new to chickens/chicks. My 6 Americana babys arrived on Thursday. One of them seems to have a lump on its belly it didn't have when I received them. Sort of soft and squishy. Anyone have any ideas what it could be. Thanks!

 

[speckledhen]

If you mean the chest area, that's probably the crop where they process the food. It's normal.

 

[Jen]

Thanks,
After reading the other posts I think thats what it might be, its even larger this morning. This chick seems to be pecking a lot at the shavings and the others aren't. Does anyone think it could be that its trying to eat the pine shavings. Maybe I should isolate it from the others and take away the shavings? What do you think.

 

[justusnak]

I would definately take out the shaveings for a few days....just plain old papertowels.

 

[chickengirl_23]

OHH! Do be careful with the cedar shavings!! I read in the book, "Keep Chickens!" that the cedar shavings are bad for their digestion and their immune systems! What did I use? I cut strips of old bed sheets and layed one on the bottom of your container (I used a plastic storing box) care ful for lose threads and you'll hate me for this - wash the poop in a bucket of water and dry it on a tree or clothes line!You may have to do this a t least two times a day! (i did)

Don't repeat them so often- use a new strip! Good luck!

 

[MTchick]

I kept mine on bath towels for the first week or so. Worked great- every other day I just shook the towel outside, threw it in the wash on the soak-then-hot-wash cycle, and the towels look exactly as clean and fresh as before I owned chickens. No muss, no fuss, don't tell my mother!

-MTchick