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[GGBEAR]

Ok I will have a look now and report back we wondered if it had just gorged itself to much as it had not had no food I'll go and inspect now

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi GG

It looks like a cockerel to me. You can see saddle and hackle feathers and look at the thickness of those shanks!

Someone posted in the emergency section in the last few days about a similar swelling. It was on the left as this one appears to be rather than the right where their crop would be. The suggestion was that it could be an air sac, where there had been damage to the lung probably from a dog/fox bite to it's back and air was leaking into a pocket under the skin. If it feels like that is what it may be, the advice was to sterilise the area and a very sharp knife or maybe a large bore surgical needle and puncture it. Not to go very deep, only about 1/4 inch and that the result would be immediate and obvious. There is no risk to organs at that depth. I would feel it first to see if it feels hard like a tumour or more like a balloon full of air or fluid. Kim is right that it could be fluid/pus as a result of infection but either way it needs to be released, and if it's a tumour he's goosed anyway, so brace yourself and go for it.

Might be worth giving him a thorough inspection all over before you start to see if you can find any other wounds under his feathers that need cleaning and treating. 

Good luck, I can imagine that it will be pretty daunting, but you will feel really proud of yourself if you manage to fix him. Apparently, if it is an air sac, (or an infection for that matter) it's best to give the area a good irrigation with something like Chlorohexidine (Hibiscrub) and leave it open to drain.

Let us know how you get on..... probably best if you have someone to help you and to give moral support... I know I would probably need it.

Good luck

Barbara

Very Barbara

How you doing? On your lunch break? Goodness it's been absolutely honking it down here Have you had much?
Hope things are still going well with Zak Not been out Harry since last Sunday but hoping to get out again tomorrow on him. I'm not going today with all this rain, the rain is a plus on the ragworting though. At least I should be able to get the rag fork in and under it now it's a tad damper. Not too much this year just the odd bit here and there so the last few years of feverishly getting it up has worked.

Tooth seems to be all better now thank you. Think it was a bit if a cold/allergies/sinus thing going on in my head and it was all building up in my jaw. Have got a routine dental appointment coming up soon so I will tell her about it and see what she thinks.

Hope your having a good day today and that you and all your beasties are well

 

[GGBEAR]

Ok this is really bizarre I've had a good feel and look and I'm not very experienced with these things like some of you veterans lol aka Barbara and Kim but the lump feels like a bone

I can get my fingers round it it feels defo like it's joint on to the bird I opened it's mouth

I can not see any obstruction it has a few feathers missing but cannot see any lesions?? Oddly now I've done that it's gone and eaten and drunk what an earth am I going mental or what?
I've taken pics see what you think

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Oh wow, I have not come across anything like this before
Chickens don't have that many bones in that area really ~

A wish bone gone the wrong way? Or could it have eaten something it should not have? It's not unheard of for them to trough on things they shouldn't have. I have read of some very bizarre things they have eaten.
I hope Barabara can offer some more insight into this. Maybe she has come across this before.

 

[GGBEAR]

 

[GGBEAR]

 

[GGBEAR]

 

[GGBEAR]

 

[GGBEAR]

 

[rebrascora]

@Yorkshire Coop

Doesn't it just amaze you when you see a diagram of their skeleton like that as to how similar our structures are..... who could ever doubt the theory of evolution!

We had rain on and off yesterday and then more of a downpour last night but it's been fine here today so far. I know what you mean about the "Yellow Peril". It's on my MUST DO NOW list and like you I'm hoping that bit of rain means it is going to come up a little easier. I seem to have more this year than last year unfortunately....some fields better, others worse. Arrgh!

@GGBEAR

That darkened tissue in the first photo is most likely bruising, so he has had some trauma. He definitely wasn't like this yesterday was he? Could he have been injured overnight... maybe set upon by your poultry?

It's definitely on the wrong side for his crop. Does it feel long and thin like a clavicle(wishbone) or just rounded but really solid. If the latter, I'm going to guess it is an oedema as there are no other bones in that area that it could be. You could try daily gentle massaging with arnica cream for the bruising and to encourage blood flow and healing and ensure that he is getting good nutrition and exercise. Scatter food rather than let him sit in one place and eat, unless he is clearly unable to get about. Sorry I can't offer any other advice. Really difficult to tell with photos of chickens, what exactly you are looking at.

Good luck with him.

Barbara