Lump on Hen's Chest!

[Eggcessive]

How does that lump feel to you—soft, hard, doughy? I would probably go ahead and feed her today since she has been going without food for a while. Give her some wet chicken feed, and a little cooked egg. No bread, since that can cause a doughy crop. I am thinking that it may be a cyst or tumor, depending on whether it is soft or firm. How long has it been growing?

 

[Michellep224]

Boss has had this problem going on since I got her in April. I'm not sure when it started before then.
I have never owned chickens before they were given to me, and I was told she was in molt. The lump has grown, and her feathers have not come back.

The lump feels sort of like a beanbag, I think. Kinda hard, but squishable kind of? I would need to feel it again to give you a better worded description.

I'll feed her this evening, as you suggested.

Thanks for all the help.

 

[Eggcessive]

It could be a crop problem, since it feels like a beanbag, but the crop is usally on the right side of the chest. Do you have granite grit available for the chickens to eat to help their gizzard grind up food? Hopefully other such as @azygous and @TwoCrows who are good with crop problems will chime in to give opinions.

 

[Michellep224]

I have pullet-size oyster shell. It's pretty gritty. Does that count?

 

[Eggcessive]

It may be alright for now, but I would get regular grit for adult chickens. My feed store has chick grit and regular grit, so I assume your pullet grit is chick grit?

 

[Michellep224]

It seems to work well for both sizes. I bought pullet-size because I also have bantams, and the bigger pieces are still too big for them. They only eat the really gritty stuff.
My standard size hens just eat the whole pieces. They are round, for the most part, and the size of tiny gravels.
This is the bag:
https://goo.gl/images/vkAxM9

 

[Ol Grey Mare]

It seems to work well for both sizes. I bought pullet-size because I also have bantams, and the bigger pieces are still too big for them. They only eat the really gritty stuff.
My standard size hens just eat the whole pieces. They are round, for the most part, and the size of tiny gravels.
This is the bag:
https://goo.gl/images/vkAxM9

That is oyster shell which is to give calcium for laying birds. Grit is a different product with the purpose of aiding digestion....it is usually granite

 

[Michellep224]

Okay, cool.
That was my question. Lol ^_^
I'll pick some up while I'm in town.
They might have at Walmart??

 

[Shamo Hybrid]

Okay, cool.
That was my question. Lol ^_^
I'll pick some up while I'm in town.
They might have at Walmart??

Yeah, they sell em' at Walmart...... they are only like 5 to 6 dollars for a five pound bag! Woo-hoo!

 

[Eggcessive]

I think many get oyster shell and granite grit confused, or think that oyster shell will work as grit, so it is a common newbie mistake. I can only find chicken grit at feed stores, such as TSC, Rural King, and Southern States.