Lump on my duck's back

[Blueberry780]

Blue, my one year old male jumbo pekin duck, has a lump on his back. It's bigger than the size of an egg, and it's causing him discomfort. He is struggling to get up and walk because he is doing a gagging motion. He is also nibbling on the lump. I checked under his feathers and i don't see anything external. I notice that the lump appears after he eats, maybe about 30 minutes later. I gave him some water, and massaged the lump, and the lump went down in size and he stopped gagging. The lump felt hard, like a cramped muscle? I just don't know if he had food stuck there but I don't think food would travel down his back... Also his neck is moving very weird, he's bending it so he looks like he has a rectangle head, like he has a forward head if that makes sense. When I touch his neck one bone feels off it just don't feel right. I don't think it's broken, I just don't know what it is if he has something stuck. Just to mention he has a slipped hock joint, so he already has trouble walking, but I carry him everywhere and I make sure his space is limited and he is close to food and water. I don't know if the lump could be connected to this. Also, since he is male he has a curled tail normally but I know they go through molt and they get a new one but blue has not gotten the curl back its been 2 weeks and no curl. His quack is still raspy though. Again idk if this is connected to the lump.
vet is not an option

(He is in a bucket because I bring my ducks inside at night since we are still reinforcing the coop)

 

[Debbie292d]

How is Blue doing now? Any other symptoms with him or the others?

 

[Blueberry780]

How is Blue doing now? Any other symptoms with him or the others?

He's doing ok, he is still getting the lump when he eats, I just make sure he drinks ALOT of water because he walks away and the lump is still there but when he drinks water it goes down a bit. I still don't know what's causing it or why it's happening. The others seem normal. Also would you know why a male would lose their curled tail? It's been almost 3-4 weeks and blue has not gotten it back.

 

[Debbie292d]

He's doing ok, he is still getting the lump when he eats, I just make sure he drinks ALOT of water because he walks away and the lump is still there but when he drinks water it goes down a bit. I still don't know what's causing it or why it's happening. The others seem normal. Also would you know why a male would lose their curled tail? It's been almost 3-4 weeks and blue has not gotten it back.

Could his crop be winding around to the side? It's odd it acts like a crop would act.

I know very little about ducks as I'm new to them myself. I'll tag a couple of duck folks that maybe can figure this out and the deal with his tail. @Jenbirdee @KathiQuacks

 

[Blueberry780]

Could his crop be winding around to the side? It's odd it acts like a crop would act.

I know very little about ducks as I'm new to them myself. I'll tag a couple of duck folks that maybe can figure this out and the deal with his tail. @Jenbirdee @KathiQuacks

Maybe? I know one side of his crop / chest is sometimes bigger than the other side. But blue is just weird in general since he had to accommodate for his leg. He slipped his tendon when he was little so he grew to adapt.. as for the tail blue matured later than my other male but as far as I know he's male, so I don't know where the tail went and I'm concerned. I'm thinking the lump is connected to it.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Losing the tail curl is not unusual many times they come and go
. But the back lump is not normal. Did you say the vet is not an option now ?

 

[Blueberry780]

Losing the tail curl is not unusual many times they come and go
. But the back lump is not normal. Did you say the vet is not an option now ?

Oh okay that's good to know. I was worried blue is turning into a girl or something . I don't have any avian vets near me, and if there was I cannot afford it if he needs surgery or scanning done. I have dog/cat vet but it's not a super fancy place. I am hoping they can give me a prescription for meloxicam or something for inflammatory at least, but they don't see ducks.