Uh...why do our chicks have a lump on their chests? Help

[flakey chick]

This should be in a chickens 101 topic. Things to expect from your chickens that look deadly, but aren't. We should have several dust bathing and crop pictures. Also a bit of info on telling a healthy crop from impacted or sour one.

My husband worked with a commercial chicken facility as a teenager, so he really knew a bit about raising chickens. Still he was scared that I would lose my babies when he saw the first dust bath attempt.

 

[wordgirl]

Thank you, everybody! I just checked Mr. Incredible (our little roo) and his crop has gone down. Phew. Thanks again!

I love having the BYC folk to come and ask for help 24/7. It's better than a helpline!

 

[joletabey]

Actually, I would appreciate the crop pictures. I figured out the dust bath thing, but it was weird to look at. I have NO idea about crops. . . . .

 

[chickenwhisperer123]

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Wouldnt be surprised!!

 

[m2wandc]

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I agree...the crop got me at first and then another thing that scared me at first was the first SUN BATHING experience...I put my chick outside for the first time and she laid down on the ground sprawlled out her wings and fell over on her side...(and looked like she was dying!)

I liked the dust bath...not sure why that didn't get me the first time I saw it, I must of read something along the way and knew what that was???

 

[m2wandc]

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Wouldnt be surprised!!

Post it...I'd like to see it...

 

[cmjust0]

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Don't forget "chick narcolepsy," where you sneak over to the brooder to peek in and your heart stops because they're all laid flat out, looking for all the world like they're dead as hammers..

Something else that got me a time or two was when I'd see a chick with its head down, running wildly around the brooder, bumping into things, tripping on stuff, with the other chicks in hot pursuit seemingly pecking around its face...

When I first saw it, I really thought one was in the middle of having its eyeballs pecked out, but it was actually just playing keep-away with a bug that wandered into the brooder. Saw it a time or two after that, but still got a little nervy and kept a close eye on them until everybody calmed back down.

I swear...keep away looks JUST LIKE somebody getting their eyeballs pecked out!

 

[m2wandc]

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I think that is what I meant by "SUN BATHING" it's like they just fall over dead...LOL

 

[Alathaia]

Thanks for the info! I, too, thought my chicks had tumors.

 

[3 NH reds]

First dust bath I was sure something got a bird, all flat wing was spread on its side. Now I just look at the foxholes they dig and wonder how deep they will end up