Large Lump on Chest Near Crop

[Kessel23]

Can we have a picture that shows both lumps at the same time?

 

[ArrowheadG]

Oh! Another thought! It could possibly be an air sac. Again, parting the feathers and looking closely at the skin, along with feeling it’s consistency, will probably help us all help you figure it out.

Okay! Thanks for your help. Unfortunately, it's too dark out right now to check, and she's probably asleep, but I will look at it more closely tomorrow!

 

[ArrowheadG]

Can we have a picture that shows both lumps at the same time?

I can try and get a decent one tomorrow (I have already tried but now it's too dark and any of the pictures I got don't show any lumps because of the angle and lighting).

 

[micstrachan]

I actually had to go outside. I'm so worried about her, I couldn't wait until tomorrow. I couldn't get pictures, but the lump is certainly not her crop. I confirmed that for sure, and it's not squishy. It's harder. I was unable to see anything, as her feathers covered it up. I tried to part them, but there was just so many. Her eating and drinking seem to be fine, I watched her earlier today. I haven't been with her in a while, so her not wanting me to pick her up was expected from her. I don't think touching it hurts her, as she seemed okay a few minutes ago. I can't tell about the breathing thing, as for me, that's harder to check. I wish I could get a video to you.

I’m so sorry you were so worried! If she is behaving normally, it’s probably not incredibly urgent this moment. It will probably need to be addressed at some point, however. If you gently, loosely wrap her in a towel and cover her head, she might remain calm enough for you to look closer at the skin. Is there a second person who can help you look at her more closely? I have found if I am nervous, they sense it a bit. Try to remain calm and soothing, if possible.

Is an avian vet an option for her/you? The fact that it is firm makes me think it could be a tumor, but hopefully it isn’t growing too rapidly or maybe it’s sonething else.

In all honestly, while I have learned a lot, I am not one of the more experienced members. Let’s call in some more help.
@rebrascora @dawg53 @coach723 @Wyorp Rock @casportpony @Eggcessive @Hen Pen Jem @azygous @aart
These folks have a wide variety of perspectives and will also know who else to call in, if needed.

 

[Shadrach]

I haven't been able to check on my girls for a bit, but this still came up extremely fast. There's a large lump next to my Speckled Sussex's crop. I never noticed it before. It's hard to tell whether it hurts her, because I can't touch it without her trying to run away (I either grab her by her sides which she hates and will struggle to get free or try to touch it on the ground, and she doesn't like anything other than her back being pet while on the ground.) If anyone can tell me what this may be (other than the most obvious assumption of what this could be), please tell me! I will try and get her to a vet, but I can't be 100% sure that will happen, as my family isn't very wealthy and have very many money issues. I would like to be able to avoid this.
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You say you haven’t been able to check on your chickens for a bit; exactly how long has the ‘bit’ been?

If you can feel two bumps and you apparently know where the crop is then you can rule a crop problem out.
A evening and morning crop check will tell you if the crop is functioning.
You can do this while she’s on her perch if she doesn’t like being handled.
Tumors to the best of my knowledge are slow growing. If you haven’t checked this hen for a few weeks then I suppose a tumor is a possibility.
Say it is a tumor, are you going to operate on it?

While everyone is trying to be helpful, unless someone here has had a hen with very similar symptoms they are going to be guessing and really that isn’t going to help you even if someone should guess correctly. The problem still needs sorting out.

You can’t diagnose a problem like this from photographs.
If you want to take a chance that it is an air bubble then @rebrascora advice on using a needle to puncture the bulge is good. However, it still wont tell you why an air bubble erupted and that would seem important.

If the hen is eating and not being bullied there is no point in putting her in a cage; it just adds to her stress. If she is eating and drinking then the best place for her is with the other hens.
In the end, it doesn’t matter what the problem is she needs to see a vet if you are going to treat her. If you are not going to treat her then let nature take its course until she is obviously in pain. You will know should that time come.

 

[ArrowheadG]

Honestly, I think it actually is her crop. Can you check on her after she goes to roost? Then check her crop again in the morning.

She has two crops if that's the case. I might be able to get a picture of her front, but I used that one because you were able to see the lump much better.

 

[ArrowheadG]

It is hard to see anything from this angle. It just looks like an oversized crop to me. Has she been off feed recently? If a hen does not have food available she will eat a ton when food is made available. Their crops get very big when this happens and they usually go up onto the roosts to rest and process the food. Is their two lumps or is their just one? If it is just the one massive lump then it is probably just from her eating more than usual in a short period of time. Chickens had crops to store food, in the wild feed is not available all the time so if they stumble upon a big stash of seeds or other feed they will stuff themselves with as much as they can before another chicken comes and eats it.

There's two lumps: her crop and then this unusual lump. And we've fed her as normal, there has been no lack of food to her. Even if there one, I doubt that would explain the two lumps (again, one being her crop.)

 

[micstrachan]

Looking forward to pictures tomorrow. I hope we can help you.

 

[ArrowheadG]

Ok, if you are certain that is not her crop, that changes things. I suspect a tumor or cyst. Is it firm? Squishy? Can you part the feathers and examine the skin? See if it’s inflamed/pink or vascularized (with lots of blood vessels). See if there is a wound that could have gotten infected. Does it seem to be affecting her behavior, eating, drinking, breathing? Posting a video of her body language might be helpful. Sorry about your girl.

I actually had to go outside. I'm so worried about her, I couldn't wait until tomorrow. I couldn't get pictures, but the lump is certainly not her crop. I confirmed that for sure, and it's not squishy. It's harder. I was unable to see anything, as her feathers covered it up. I tried to part them, but there was just so many. Her eating and drinking seem to be fine, I watched her earlier today. I haven't been with her in a while, so her not wanting me to pick her up was expected from her. I don't think touching it hurts her, as she seemed okay a few minutes ago. I can't tell about the breathing thing, as for me, that's harder to check. I wish I could get a video to you.

 

[chickens really]

I'm also thinking its air sack issue. You can use a needle without the syringe attached to try and get the air out.