CasparAntrim
In the Brooder
Hello all,
Today we discovered a soft, squishy lump on our twelve-week-old hen, Joplin. It sits low of the vent, forward on her left side, sized at about a square inch. I'd guess that it's over her small intestine. It is feathered. She is otherwise healthy, albeit smaller than her sisters as she's always been, and the lump doesn't seem to cause her any discomfort. I noticed that the lump gurgled (almost a crackle) when I massaged it. Research on the issue yielded nothing except for "soft mass", tumor, ascitis, and hernia. The former two seem unlikely to me, and the description of ascitis points to a location much more centered than it is on Joplin, not to mention a much larger mass. The nature of a hernia has me concerned. I consider it the most viable, so far; perhaps herniation of the GI tract? Do chickens get cysts?
As a first-time chicken owner, I don't have the slightest as to where to safely begin. I was thinking I'd attempt to drain it with a needle/syringe as a diagnostic move. If it leaked nothing but a little blood I'd start really thinking hernia whereas a puss-like liquid could mean infection and something I could treat. I'm afraid that puncturing with a needle could damage organs that are present in the bulge if it is, indeed, a hernia.
An avian vet is not available to us.
Any other information can be provided upon request. I'm sorry that I can't post a picture at this time. I'll try and have one uploaded as soon as possible. Thank you all, in advance, for any help in the matter.
Tyler
(edit: She does hold her tail low, slanted towards the ground, and runs with more of a hobble than the rest.)
Today we discovered a soft, squishy lump on our twelve-week-old hen, Joplin. It sits low of the vent, forward on her left side, sized at about a square inch. I'd guess that it's over her small intestine. It is feathered. She is otherwise healthy, albeit smaller than her sisters as she's always been, and the lump doesn't seem to cause her any discomfort. I noticed that the lump gurgled (almost a crackle) when I massaged it. Research on the issue yielded nothing except for "soft mass", tumor, ascitis, and hernia. The former two seem unlikely to me, and the description of ascitis points to a location much more centered than it is on Joplin, not to mention a much larger mass. The nature of a hernia has me concerned. I consider it the most viable, so far; perhaps herniation of the GI tract? Do chickens get cysts?
As a first-time chicken owner, I don't have the slightest as to where to safely begin. I was thinking I'd attempt to drain it with a needle/syringe as a diagnostic move. If it leaked nothing but a little blood I'd start really thinking hernia whereas a puss-like liquid could mean infection and something I could treat. I'm afraid that puncturing with a needle could damage organs that are present in the bulge if it is, indeed, a hernia.
An avian vet is not available to us.
Any other information can be provided upon request. I'm sorry that I can't post a picture at this time. I'll try and have one uploaded as soon as possible. Thank you all, in advance, for any help in the matter.
Tyler
(edit: She does hold her tail low, slanted towards the ground, and runs with more of a hobble than the rest.)
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