Cockerel with swollen chest

[crazyaboutchickens]

Earlier I noticed my EE cockerel seemed oddly larger than he has the day before. After a quick check I noticed that there was some sort of balloon-like swelling on his chest, opposite to the crop. Well, it's more like an inflation, since the area seems to be full of air, and you can practically see through it. Strangely enough, it doesn't seem to be bothering him at all, and he's acting, eating, drinking, and pooping like normal. There doesn't seem to be any infection anywhere, unless you could consider the greenish area at the top of the 'bubble' an infection, not sure. :/

Lastly, he's rather thin, since he has a crossbeak also.

Top:

Towards the bottom:

Anyone see this before or know about such a condition, and can help?

 

[ColeSchmidt]

I'm pretty new to the chicken thing, but one of our chicks has something similar. I believe this is a ruptured air sack and will usually heal on its own.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes I agree it is a leaking air sac, called subcutaneous emphysema. It may have been caused by an injury. The air may absorb into the body on it's own, or some people will use a small gauge needle and a large syringe and pull off the air. Sometimes the air accumulates again though. Here is some info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Subcutaneous_emphysema

 

[crazyaboutchickens]

Thanks, Coleschmidt for naming it, and thank you Eggsessive for the info.

So should I wait a couple of days and see if it goes down, and if it does not, use a syringe?
The link is for the injury in humans... Birds are a different matter entirely. :/
I have a feeling this may have been accidentally caused by him weaving around my feet while I was walking and refilling his waterer.

 

[Eggcessive]

I don't like to do any invasive procedures unless a chicken is in trouble. That would mean having respiratory distress or some other pressing problem. I would leave it alone, but many people will go ahead and pull off the air with needle and syringe. The body should reabsorb it in time.

 

[crazyaboutchickens]

I don't like to do any invasive procedures unless a chicken is in trouble.  That would mean having respiratory distress or some other pressing problem.  I would leave it alone, but many people will go ahead and pull off the air with needle and syringe.  The body should reabsorb it in time.

I do agree with keeping invasive procedures to emergencies, but as there was no other choice, I should have gone through that path first instead of waiting so long.
He was in distress tonight so I finally took the air out.
Hoping he'll survive until morning... Didn't even want to open his eyes much.
Will update later.