HELP! Huge Lump on right side of new chicks' neck/chest

[Chickens&Ducks]

My husband found someone who wanted to give away 13 baby chicks, about 3 wks old- 4 Black Jersey Giants and 9 Barred Rocks. We picked them up today and foolishly just added them in with our own 4-5 wk chicks.. it's a beautiful day out so we brought them outside to graze on the grass (under a cage top) and noticed that one of them has a HUGE lump/bulge starting on its neck down to it's chest, right side. Then I noticed that ALL THIRTEEN have this! Is it a disease? Is it the chicken's crop? We have Barred Rocks that we purchased, who are about the same age & do NOT have this bulge. These chicks are kinda stinky & seem to be a bit neglected. My husband said they were in a box that was too small & it was all wet in the bottom. Could it just be their crop & they've kind overindulged on the food/water? When we put them into our brooder box, they went a bit crazy for the food.. HELP!

 

[Chickens&Ducks]

I have now separated them out and are watching them... I *JUST* cleaned out my brooder box yesterday and put new bedding it.. should I clean it out again? I wasn't the one that went to pick the chicks up so I don't know if they had this lump to start out or not!

 

[klmclain1]

It's just their crop! No worries! They were probably hungry.

 

[Chickens&Ducks]

You think so? Why don't my other birds have that bulge out?

 

[laurie123]

My babies get the same thing! The first time I saw it I was a little startled also! Your chicks sound like they like to eat and are healthy!

 

[Chickens&Ducks]

Thank you! That makes me feel better. It's just REALLY HUGE!! I've tried taking pics to share but it's not easy w/some busy chicks!

 

[BertSmith]

Did this end up really being the crop? I have the same worry with my 1 month old Americauna. I never noticed it on my other chicks and I handled them pretty frequently. The one i am worried about was a 3 day old chick that we snuck under a broody hen so she free ranges with the flock. I'm worried b/c I fed them grapes the other day and heard that those could be hard to pass She has chick feed in the run but for the most part she eats whatever the other ladies eat. I'm so nervous

 

[Chickens&Ducks]

Yep, it just ended up being the crop. this was exactly 5 months ago today and they're all doing very well... well, aside from the few that the mean raccoon ate!

 

[My baby girls]

It's just their crop! No worries! They were probably hungry.

I just noticed yesterday morning that my sweet girl Mufasa has a mass on her neck midsection dominating towards the right. It's about the size of a golf ball. It's not attached at any surrounding location and it wasn't there two days before. She's only a year and 3 months old. What did you find out about your little ones?