Crop on left side? Tumor where it should be? ** update**

[Sarevan]

Yesterday (Thursday) I picked up one of the California Greys, she was squaking at my feet pecking at my jeans begging for treats. As I was checking her over I felt her crop on her left chest instead of the right, she had food inside and otherwise felt normal. I checked a couple of the others incase I was mistaken and their crops were on right side. Checking her over some more I found a soft spongy tissue in area her crop should be that was as big as my index finger and a couple inches long. The skin above area wasn't discolored she wasn't fussing when I palpated it, so no pain. The lump didn't move, didn't feel like it contained fluid, no sign of any injury. I checked down her throat, and ran a q tip down but it came back clean. No breathing problems, no strange noises from chest. After the q tip she wasn't happy with me. I put her down and she settled her feathers back into order and attacked the mash with good appetite, drank water with no problem. Tail was up, coloring good, sassy as ever. Poo was fine.

What would make her crop switch sides? The lump of tissue I felt possible tumor? I even checked the other girls to make sure I wasn't wrong, none of the others had the lump on either side. I thought it may have been muscle I hadn't noticed before. Any thoughts? I will be checking her everyday now.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

i know nothing about a chickens anatomy but from the way you describe it maybe a tumor is pushing her crop over. at least thats how it sounds to me.

 

[Eggcessive]

Subcutaneous emphysema or a leaking air sac is a possibility. It is air under the skin that results from an injury, and sometimes from infection. The air can be removed with an 18 gauge needle just under the skin. Is her crop full on her right side in the evening? It is possible she has some birth defect, and it is on the left--anything is possible.

 

[Sarevan]

All the Calif Grey girls used to have crops on right side. This one I call porcupine head (from pin feathers) was one I used to use to check against as the smallest one Dimitri (Niece named her not me) had crop issues and had to tube feed her. The others were used as examples of normal.

Last night her crop was full on the LEFT side, she didn't seem in any discomfort. This morning it was flat and still on the left side. The weird soft tissue mass still there. Didn't make any popping noises to indicate air trapped in tissues. I am going to see if anything can be drawn out with a syringe. I did move the crop around after she had eaten a bit, can be moved to center, to a bit just right of center, then moves back to left side. I am hoping something didn't get twisted internally to start blocking into digestive system. I'll post if I am able to remove anything with a syringe.

Granny, I thought tumor but now really wondering if I have chickens that like making me scratch my head and mumble.

 

[Eggcessive]

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/223/subcutaneous-emphysema

 

[Sarevan]

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/223/subcutaneous-emphysema

Thank you Egg, reading it now. You must have the most amazing collection of bookmarks. Very interesting!

 

[Sarevan]

I did use a needle and syringe, tried three different sites along the length to get any air, fluid out of it. Nothing came out except where I hit a small vein and got a few drops of blood. The crop was back on the right side tonight and was full. I called the vets in area they don't do chickens. So I guess I will keep an eye on my mutant chicken to see if any thing changes in this weird lump.

As I was checking her I was thinking, would pin feathers under the skin make this strange lump feels rather deep but not to bone or muscle. She and the other 2 are going through a strange molt, pin feathers erupting all over the place. In this area she has old feathers dropping and new ones under skin. Maybe that is what it is as doesn't feel it is connected to area of clavicle or muscle mass. Could be maybe? :/

 

[Granny Hatchet]

aww, poor thing. this i know, cysts or benign tumors are movable, cancer / tumor is not.

 

[Sarevan]

I think it is some kind of tumor too, just trying to make it into something "normal" for a chicken, is there such a thing? I'm hoping benign tumor, not even a year old to have this problem! I am going to borrow my Nephew's measuring calipers and take measurements of this lump so I can keep track of it. He will really tease me about them being some strange medical experiments now.

 

[Granny Hatchet]

well, it does kinda put a funny pic. in my mind. like fitting it for a suit or something.