My silkie has a squishy lump above his breast bone

[Frostee]

My silkie hen has a squishy lump too, she also has her tail down all the time, but then again so does the other one. She is acting normal and the lump is quite small, anything to be concerned about?

 

[chickencrazylady]

I had lots of help on this site the other night. What are you feeding your chickens? How large is the lump? Is it protruding from the front of her chest? If it so it could be the start of sour crop. I have only recently started my chickens on Apple cider vinegar all natural and Not bought in your local grocery store. All natural yogurt with probiotic is also good for them. I also google search sour crop in chickens and came up with lots of articles that were very informative. Also did the google search for Apple cider vinegar for chickens and again came up with lots of informative information. I wish I had only know this stuff at least a year ago

I get boxes of old fruit and veggies from our local grocery store and go through it and use my food processor to chop everything up and feed to my chickens. Anything with mold on it gets thrown out immediately (mold can kill chickens) and I have an mold allergy also. I have 1 Roo and 9 hens and I grind up an 1 gallon bucket of fruit and veggies for them every morning. They also get another 1 gallon of fresh dark greens, romaine lettuce, celery, bok choy, spinach. Once in a while I place in a small chopped up tomatoes, (tomatoes are acidic) so only once in a while do they get this. DO NOT EVER GIVE AVOCADO!!! to chickens, it is poison to all birds!!!!!

Having to see what sour crop in chickens I am refining my chicken food menu now. NO MORE BREAD OR PASTA. Again doing the research and reading on this site, I will now only give bread and only then 2-3 slices ground up in my food processor maybe once a week now as a treat.

From everyone on this site, they had given me great information, and new knowledge.

In the morning before a chicken ha fed, it's crop is empty and should not be bulging out from their chest, during the day as the chicken eats it fills up and get processed and passing through the digestive tract to its gizzard and broken down for nutrients for the Chicken and the rest is poop.

I hope this has helped you and that your girls are doing better. As I was told "If in doubt, always ask a question: That's what this site is for, especially helping beginners like ourselves. Good luck!

 

[<3 N.C Chicken Chick <3]

Good luck Frostee.

And love your new menu chickencrazylady

 

[chickencrazylady]

Silkie-boy and the girls are doing great. No more crop problems.

Unfortunately, Bugsey the rabbit is in jail. For some reason he is attacking Silkie-boy. I cannot figure this one out. So yesterday I go out to the coop and let everyone into the coop and sitting there watching them all, and Bugsey does it again! Chasing my Silkie-boy and then jumps on his back and tries to bite him on the back of the neck. That was Busgey's third strike. He is now in rabbit jail and I will be either finding him a new home or releasing him into the woods at my g/f's farm along with his old buddies.

I just can't get over this new development with Bugs. He is a nice bunny (or so I though) and up until now never had a problems with him being with my chickens.

 

[welasharon]

I had to get my male rabbit fixed. He kept trying to mate my cat. Really stressed the cat out as he was male also!
sharon

 

[<3 N.C Chicken Chick <3]

That really is a puzzle!

Great News about your silkie roo! I'am glad hes doing well.

 

[chickencrazylady]

Thanks 3 N.C. chicken Chick, Apparently Bugsey is just very horny!!! And at this point anything will do! But it really does seem strange to me, that he would pick the male chicken, or maybe it's it that Silkie -boy is white also!!!!

 

[<3 N.C Chicken Chick <3]

Lol

Maby bugs wants to be incharge of your flock? Do you think this has happened to other people? I would creat a post about it and ask.

THe white to white thing sounds beliveable.

 

[Carrie Lynn]

So glad your Silkie is doing well!

What is ACV?

One thought about releasing the rabbit. A white rabbit will be very vulnerable to predators, unless he's in the snow. I'm not sure wild rabbits will take kindly to him, but I don't know a great deal about them. It makes sense though, as male rabbits are territorial and fight to defend their area I'm told.

 

[chickencrazylady]

Quote:
ACV = Apple Cider Vinegar. It needs to be the natural, raw, unfiltered organic kind, NOT what you buy in the grocery store!! Health food stores. Or the local feed store??

I just googled ACV for chickens and it was amazing what it could prevent and promote for the good things in chickens. I have only just started giving them ACV in their water bowl. 1/4 cup ACV to 1 gallon water.

I read all the articles and as the old saying goes, "It it doesn't kill you, it can only help you" Lol