I'm worried about a large swelling on a chick's neck, any advice?

[steverw]

I have 2.2 week old chick who has today developed a large protuberance from her neck, like a huge goiter. When you feel it, it's hard, not squooshy like liquid. It is at the bottom of the neck, just above the breast. This morning she was fine. She doesn't act any different; still pecking, still running around. She yells if I touch the swelling.

I'm worried it's what she ate. Today to acclimate her to being outside I put her in the yard for a few minutes (supervised). In that short time, she nabbed a daddy-long-legs, and a small wasp. I can't believe how fast and accurate she was, grabbing the wasp right out of the air, it caught me quite by surpise. She also ate the tip of a grass blade.

Could this be swelling from a sting as the wasp was going down? Or could it just be coincidence, and maybe she ate some bedding (wood shavings) and her crop is blocked up?

Something else I've noticed: when she was smaller, she right away starting drinking, cupping some water then raising her head and tilting it back to swallow. But now her beak is longer, and she just pecks at the water like everything else. I have not seen her tilt her head back like before. Can a chick forget how to drink?

What do I do? I don't want to lose this chick.

Any advice would be really be appreciated, I don't know what to do.

 

[chickchicks]

im not to sure my self onthis one, one of my chicks seems to have aquired a tiny lump too. for now im holding backand jsut watching as she is like yours eating anything and everything and hada few squabbles with the other little ones too ! imgoing to watch asmroeoften thannotisee these birdssolvethingsthemselves .

my little one has just started to scratch and herfirst attempt was a laught with her using both feet at onceleadingher to fall flat on her beak! keep an eye on her and i hope all goes well if i learn anything ill let you know

 

[dianaross77]

It's more than likely a full crop. If it's on the top side of the right breast. It's where they store food before digesting it. I got scared too the first time I saw that. Thank goodness for BYC.

eta: you'll know if it's the crop because it will be at fluctuating sizes during the day and empty after they sleep at night.

 

[chickchicks]

thats great ill definatly keep an eye out for it. i know aboutth crop but had no idea where it was ! now i do thank you !!!

 

[Flockstar]

That's very strange. My chicks, I had 12, had lumps on different places, including eyelids, wings, and beak, and I was worried. 2 of my chickens passed away because of this, and I was thinking that it was because of the heat, because where I live is hot. If they seem to be feeling hot, try cooling their temperature down. Wishing you the best of luck.

 

[chickchicks]

how would you cool a chick down thats hot whenit livesout doors with "mum" ? if this was the case .

 

[steverw]

Thanks for your responses. Sure enough, the lump is gone this morning. And she is drinking again. Looks like spiders and wasps better watch out!

 

[chickchicks]

Just checked my little ones they all have a Maxine lump in the same place . Ottomh they like to eat too much food

think mum treats them all day long! I'm sure mine are fine just eat too much! They must be loving all the grass and bugs they can get

 

[Opa]

You don't have to worry about a chicken eating too much. It is amazing how large their crop can become and be completely empty the next morning. You will notice that when they free range or have access to grass their crops will be much larger than when they are just on crumbles. This is entirely normal. There is a condition called "impacted crop" but your birds will not appear to be healthy.