What is that strange thing that looks like a nipple?

[joshplus10]

on my chickens' back near their tail?

I don't see it on the chicken anatomy page.

My sweet boyfriend tried to convince me that it's where the rooster deposits semen! I was almost ready to believe him until I checked my young roo and discovered a nipple on his back, too. Or is my roo really a big tough hen that crows?

Don't birds just have one multipurpose oriface? I think I remember something from 10th grade biology called a cloaca...

 

[GranHabano]

What you have are extremely rare Estonian Triple Nipple Chickens. They are worth a lot of money (if you happen to be in Estonia). Actually, I have no idea.

 

[Dar]

Quote:

 

[Momma_Cluck]

Can you show us a picture????
If it is above the tail--- sounds like some odd growth---
If under the tail-- a really odd vent????

 

[seedcorn]

If it's what I think, it's oil gland.

 

[ruth]

Yep, was just about to post that - "oil gland".

 

[Katy]

It's their oil gland.

 

[beakkeeper]

Phew! I thought i knew chicken anatomy, and then this...

 

[HennyPennies2007]

This is hilarious. One of my RIR hens is molting and I saw this on her today and I thought...jeez...wonder if I should try to remove that!! I did that once with a cat I had. I got him declawed and after awhile he was limping and I looked at one of his toes and there was a white knot there. I thought abcess or imbedded kitty litter. So I sawed on it for awhile with my trusty exacto knife. All the while he is screaming like a banshee and DH is trying to hold him for me. Finally took him to the vet... tirns out it was a TOE BONE that had pushed out the end of the toe. The vet was just incredulous that I had been trying to "fix" it myself!! I was thinking no wonder he was hollering so loud and long.... OOOOWWWW!

 

[NurseNettie]

Quote:
Sounds like it's oil gland to me.