Lump on Chest - what is this?

[urabus]

My chicken has been molting for about a week, but today I see a large red lump on her chest. Is this something wrong? Maybe it's just cold (it's now 31 degrees here)? Since molting, she's not been herself, but that's normal during molting isn't it? I've also noticed she sometimes walks sideways, but other times she's normal. Any ideas?

 

[Mahlzeit]

It looks to me like it is just her crop full of food. Check on her first thing in the morning. It should be empty/gone after not eating throughout the night. Keep us updated.

 

[urabus]

I went back out later in the day and the redness was gone, but the lump is still there. I looked at all the other chickens and they also have lumps, but just not as noticeable because they have feathers. I'd just never seen a bare breasted chicken before and the redness made it more scary. She's doing ok, but still not the chicken she was before molting. I just hope her personality comes back with the feathers.

 

[TallJ]

When my girl's crops are full it almost feels like someone put a ping pong ball under their skin! If you don't feed them in the night check in the morning and it should be almost gone. Then after they eat it fills back up - sometimes to seemingly alarming proportions!
Hope yours is happier after her molt!

 

[bdjh]

I asked the same question a while back - I thought it was some kind of tumor - but these folks assured me it was normal - her crop - it's an external stomach sort of.....food gets stored in there first, and slowly feeds into her gizzard to be ground up.

It's perfectly normal.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Lump at the crop is normal, especially if it comes and goes with feeding/digesting...redness may not be.

If it looks red again, check to see if it is hot. While maybe it's just red from the cold (which would not feel hot to the touch), she may have an impacted crop or sour crop.

I'd also check to make sure it feels firm like it is food in crop and not soft and squishy which could indicate abscess or even possibly air sacculittis since you've noticed odd behavior in her before.

Post again if you see any symptoms other than normal crop enlargement.

Lady of McCamley

 

[aart]

She looks miserable, lol.......hopefully you will find that the 'lump' is gone first thing in the morning as the food in there is processed along.
She'll feel better once those feathers finish growing and she can preen the sheaths off them.