Urgent Help PLEASE..huge neck lump

[pgpoultry]

Goldie Hen has a huge lump (approx 12 X12 cm) to the right of the midline on her chest area.

I'm not new to chicken keeping, but have never seen this before....didn't notice it yesterday.
I can't feel the crop separate, the lump feels very firm (not squishy). She has just come back into lay after raising chicks, has an excellent appetite,laid egg today, looks bright, no sour smell to her. She free ranges and eats lots of grass. In spite of recent brooding feels heavy and feathers in excellent condition, doesn't look ill. Age just over a year.

It is late in the day now. Could it be a very distended crop? (She eats hugely). Do I leave her until morning? I would value any opinion. Pics. below.

Thank you,

sandie

 

[Miss Lydia]

my goodness that is big, do you see any sign of trauma on her chest area? could be crop but you said no foul smell. I don't know but hopefully someone will help you shortly.

 

[oesdog]

Wish I could help you more - Looks like the crop - is she breathing ok and drinking????
It looks like the crop is full and not emptying that looks to me like a bad case of sour crop. You can treat this by giving her veg oil through a syringe into her mouth but be very careful to get it into the correct place. Then gently massarge the crop. Do this 3 /4 times a day and hopefully you will see the crop start to empty. Best I can do this helped our girl.

Osedog. - good luck

 

[mypicklebird]

That is the area of the crop certainly--- confine her overnight with water, no food. If it goes down overnight somewhat- continue to fast her for 24 hrs. She may have gorged & needs time to empty it out- she definitely needs water to keep the food soft it if is food. If it does not go down after 24 hrs- start planning on sour crop or impacted crop treatments. If she laid an egg today- she is either not sick, or has not been sick very long. I have had chickens knock the scratch can over & several chickens running around that looked like that---- if the crop is healthy, the glutton hens can empty it within 24 hrs. Crop is just a big holding bag for food- slowly emptying into the rest of the GI tract.

 

[pgpoultry]

Thank you to those who responded so quickly.

I retrieved from the coop to which she had gone for the night. She is confined indoors, and is studiously scratching around looking for food! (YES, she is a real glutton). Her breathing is absolutely normal and she seems otherwise very well.

I have left her with water only. She drank right away.

If the crop is still distended tomorrow morning I will syringe in the oil, massage, and hope it doesn't come top crop surgery.

I will photo her tomorrow and keep everybody updated.

Thanks again for the help.

Sandie

 

[pgpoultry]

Well, morning has broken here.

Goldie looks well, poo everywhere....did another 3 or 4 after the pic......all poo normal. Her crop is down to about a quarter of the size, but feels like there are lumps in it, deformable, not fluid filled. She is preening, bright eyed and generally seems well.

I have syringed in some olive oil (this went fine) and massaged her crop which didn't seem to give her any discomfort. She is hungry....just gave her poultry corn and coarse grain. I plan to 'oil and massage' again at midday.

She is still indoors.

Am I doing the right thing? I'm grateful for any advice,

Sandie

 

[epitidios]

Wow Sandie brought something that always puzzled me. Here is a picture from one my hens. Does she look ok to you?

One more thing, if food stocks in the crop, can this be related to what the hen eats?


Thanx a lot and thanx a lot Sandie for bringing this up.

 

[oesdog]

Quote:
Yes you are and she seems to be on the mend. Don;t over do the oil if she is emptying the crop on her own - keep an eye on those lumps but they should go to. It could be a few stones as sometimes they will eat stones to help them with the food - like grit! Only sometimes they kind of get over enthusiastic! I have one girl who will eat the pink pebbles off my garden or even glass if she finds it!!!!!!!! your girl should pass those in a few days. Don;t worry I think she will be fine!!!!!!

Oesdog

 

[oesdog]

Quote:
Your hens Crop does look a bit full!!!!! - keep an eye on her. I guess the more they eat the fuller the crop and you do have to be careful not to give too many treats!!!!!

Oesdog

 

[pgpoultry]

HI, Thanks again for the replies. More oil and a gentle massage.....crop feels fuller again, but fairly soft. Her appetite is pretty enormous........ and 26 normal poos and counting

.....I didn't realise that a chicken could produce this much. I'm only counting as I am cleaning and disinfecting after each one.(What a sad person I am

)

She is still inside to stop her eating long grass which is quite a favourite with her.

Epitidios, your hen looks like a milder version of my hen( which looks largely as though it could be "Glutton crop" by the amount she is eating). I think the long grass mine like may be forming fibrous wads in the crop....but that is just a theory. I would think the type and amount of food must have an effect. I am used to seeing my Naked Necks start off the morning with a relatively thin neck and ending up with a very visible crop swelling at night, but Goldie Hen's was bigger than anything I have seen before, and is still pretty large.


I never knew how much went in and out of these large birds daily because mine free range and obviously supplement what I give them with a whole pile of other things, and the same goes for the poos which mainly fall outside.

She has laid an egg again today so is not too out of sorts and is perching on the window ledge looking at the others. Should I let her out or keep her in a few more days to monitor her crop?

Sandie