Large lump on chicken's breast

[Sundari]

My one-year-old RIR has a large lump on her breast. I noticed it yesterday. It's slightly soft if I push on it. She doesn't seem to be experiencing any discomfort.

It's roughly egg-sized. Is there any way she could have an egg stuck up there? It's pretty much right over her breastbone.

Many thanks!!

 

[Imp]

Is it on the right side between the neck and breast?

If so it is the crop, and is perfectly normal. That is where chickens store food before digestion.

It should fill up during the day while they are eating and go away by morning.

Imp

 

[Sundari]

Yes, it is! Just right of center, above her breastbone and below her neck.

Whew... if it is the crop, that's such a relief. I swear that it feels like the exact size and shape of an egg, but maybe I was just freaking myself out.

 

[Imp]

My chickens don't really show a large lump. Every once in a while someone will post a pix of a huge crop, like baseball sized. It kinda freaks me out a little.

Imp

BTW- soft is good, If it is hard like a rock, it can be impacted.

 

[watersoflethe]

Quote:
yea i think the crop tends to be around egg sized actually now that i think about it... never thought about it like that

 

[SouthernChick]

It's her crop where the food she eats goes. totally normal.

 

[Rikki]

Thanks so much for this thread! Cindy the Leghorn (who is, believe it or not, at 8 weeks old brooding two infant chicks) all of a sudden got a lump on her right side. Started freaking out there for a minute.

 

[klmclain1]

My girls allllllll get HUGE crops! They look so lopsided it's funny!

 

[AmyLM]

lol mine all get huge crops when ever they find something they REALLY like to eat and turn into little piglets in discise Last time it was when I turned over a log in their run and there were worms, buggies, and a giant grub *shudders* that was as big as a quarter. Boy.. was that a feeding frenzy!

Its so funny to watch them waddle around with a full crop. Reminds me of my grampa after thanksgiving dinner unbuttoning his pants before flopping down to watch football.

 

[GeorgeBenavides]

how funny here I thought my hen was gonna lay a jumbo egg tomorrow until I read this , she must have just eaten alot. LOL