Large Lump throat - hard time swallowing HELP - UPDATED w/ pics

[Margot]

I have a white silkie who is a couple years old. I noticed tht he was looking a little shaggy and picked him up...he is quite thin. But I noticed a large hard lump right under the lower beak - his upper throat, if you know what I mean. When I gently squeeze it he opens his mouth. It sure smells bad, (like an infection) and he has a clear thick fluid that is around his mouth. Could this be Sour Crop? It is not in the crop portion of the bird...it is right at the top of his throat. He has no bludge in the area of the crop. He sure smells bad

His attitude with the other chickens is just fine, he is animated, moves about, pecks at the hens to move them about, ran from me when I caught him up? \\

Any ideas? Thanks.

Margot

UPDATE: My silkie is fed laying mash, cracked corn, some sunflower seeds, horse grain (just a bit every other week as a snack) occasional stale bread and fresh fruit (apple chunks, blueberries, strawberries at trets usually once a week)

I gave him a few stale bread crmps and apple chips late this am. Could this be jammed in his throat? Help! He is one of my favorites.

Update: Moved him inside in a dog crate. Took away all food, just has water with ACV in it. Any suggestins of what food to give him?

 

[Margot]

bump

Anyone?

 

[WriterofWords]

I don't know what to say, but do a search on sour Crop or just impacted crop and see all the other thread on something similar. Ruth has a really good thread with information on it.

 

[WriterofWords]

I don't know what to say, but do a search on sour Crop or just impacted crop and see all the other thread on something similar. Ruth has a really good thread with information on it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/search.php?search_id=899860532

 

[Intheswamp]

Is it sneezing or coughing more than normal?

Ed

 

[redrocketrooster]

I am unsure iof this is even reasonable but lets go there since you already went here. (lol)
Is it possible the chick ate something rather sharp or hard? It could have embedded itself in that area and healed over creating a bacterial area or wound.
The smell might indicate infection however the clear liquid makes me think there is something there trying to heal and unable to.

Hand feed him his water. I don't know of a liquid like food you can give him? Possibly wet mash?
Occasionally when I have really sick small animals I place Pedialyte in a 1/10 ratio in the water.
It seems to help them get back on their feet very quickly.

Keep us updated. Any photos at all would help is greatly.

 

[Margot]

Thanks everyone. He is not caughing at all.

I am going to feed him this am soft foods like scrambled eggs aqlong with his laying mash and cracked corn. I'm going to watch how he eats. I did not give him any food once I found himyesterdayincase it was a sour crop, but I reallydon't think that it is.

I will try and get a good picture of the lump.

Margot

 

[redrocketrooster]

While it may not be sour crop, apple cider vinegar kills off bacteria nicely so maybe forcing him to take a high ADV mixture with water could clear it up.

 

[Margot]

I've got him in the house where it is warm. He is sooooo thin, I don't know how he kept warm outside. I am giving him ACV in water, eggs and cracked corn. I tried to gve a good pic, but it is hard to hold and focus a camera at the same time. ill have hubby help me today.

His feathers are not "puffy" like a silke should be. Rather they look matted and dirty. As long as he is inside, I think I'll give him a bath to puff him up a bit.

It is very nice to have this as a ressource, even if we can't solve a problem, it is nice to hear another voice in the night so to speak, when we are worried about one of our favorites. Thanks, all. I'll get better pics today.

Margot

 

[Margot]

OK, here is a pic of the lump. In the first one I have it betwenen my thumb and forefinger, so you can get an idea of the size. The other pic shows how he looks just standing.

He has issues eating - when he eats the sometimes coughs up the food, or stretches his neck up and opens his mouth. I almost think that this is blocking his throat. He is lively enough, put him out with his gang this afternoon and he still pushed the other hens around.

Any ideas?