Hen with mass on chest

[Jdastardly]

Howdy y’all, hopefully someone has some info on this because I haven’t a clue how to search it on google.

I noticed on of my speckled Sussex hens this evening that she had a strange lump on her chest. She’s about 4 month old, and seems to be just about fully feathered, but the lump almost felt like a tangle or mass of feather quills. It didn’t seem to cause her any pain or discomfort as I poked and prodded, but I couldn’t tell if it was something under the skin or over top. I didn’t notice anything abnormal when I picked her up last, that was Friday and it’s now Sunday. She seems healthy otherwise. She’s never had a problem eating or drinking. They’ve been on dumors pellets of some kind, my brother grabbed the last bag. Their run has gotten a bit muddy this week due to the excess rain we’ve had but she seems to be pretty clean, doesn’t appear to be mud caked in her feathers.

Has anyone experienced this before? Is this something that can be treated at home? Or should I call Dr. Pol.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Aunt Angus]

Pics would help. Is her crop just really full? I remember thinking my birds had some sort of problem because they had full crops. My husband still makes fun of me for it - LOL!

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like her crop or craw. Is the enlarged area in the upper right chest? She should not be eating layer pellets yet, until she starts laying eggs. Has she always been getting those, or was she on chick grower when she was younger?

 

[Jdastardly]

Pics would help. Is her crop just really full? I remember thinking my birds had some sort of problem because they had full crops. My husband still makes fun of me for it - LOL!

That’s definitely it! I just did some reading about it and that was it to a T. She had just eaten when I felt it.

 

[Jdastardly]

It sounds like her crop or craw. Is the enlarged area in the upper right chest? She should not be eating layer pellets yet, until she starts laying eggs. Has she always been getting those, or was she on chick grower when she was younger?

She’s been on chick grower for since we got her. I think this bag of pellets is the first one, so she’s only been eating it, and whatever she’s foraged for about a week. She had just eaten when I picked her up. And from the descriptions I read, it was in that exact location.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

The crop is an expandable portion of the esophagus where chickens store feed and moisten it if the proventriculus (primary stomach) and gizzard (mechanical stomach) are full.
http://www.geauga4h.org/poultry/chicken_digestion.htm


The crop is external to the body cavity and when full you can either feel it or see it at the base of the neck and at the top of the right breast.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Sounds like you may have a little piggie on your hands!