Yound chick with large lump under beak

[Miss Sunshine]

This is an Ameraucana chick, 3-4 weeks old. This swollen area doesn't seem to hurt the chick, I touched it several times and it didn't seem bothered at all. No bleeding that I could see (there is some red/purple under it's left eye but I think that may be from a berry growing in our run.) The swollen area DOES seem to be impeding the chick's ability to hone down it's beak as it's eating, it's clearly overgrown and while it does still eat and drink (plenty) it's very very messy, much more so than the other chicks and our grown hens.

 

[theuglychick]

I can't really tell from the pic but it almost looks like a fly larvae that could be in there which is called fly strike. In chickens it usually affects the vent. Could that be what it is?

Can you see if there's any movement in it?

We get fly larvae out of rescue animals by globbing antibacterial ointment or petroleum jelly on the wound and it basically smothers the larvae and it has to come out.

If that is what you're dealing with, here is a link on treating it in chickens.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2014/07/flystrike-in-backyard-chickens-causes.html?m=1

 

[Miss Sunshine]

From what I could tell there was just a lump with no movement. (I think all the black around the lump is mud, because it rained really hard this afternoon and I've seen this particular chick kind of wipe its beak on the ground...I don't think it's dried blood or a scab.)

 

[theuglychick]

Ok, that's good. Larvae are no fun to deal with.

I hope someone with experience with what it could be chimes in soon for y'all!

 

[Miss Sunshine]

Bump

 

[theuglychick]

How is the chick doing?

 

[Miss Sunshine]

Wednesday it had ripped the lump open and was bleeding a bit but of course I couldn't catch it to examine. Yesterday there was no blood I could see. Both days it was acting totally fine. Today I haven't checked because I'm sick but my mom will try to check on it soon. (I think I need to get a net so I don't have to rely on 2 other people to help me catch birds. )

 

[theuglychick]

Sorry I just saw that you replied. I'm glad the little chick was doing ok. Please keep us updated!

 

[Miss Sunshine]

Well, I'm not sure what to do now. The chick acts totally fine. However, my brother helped me catch her and we got a really good look at what's actually wrong. I don't know much about chicken anatomy, but from what I was able to find online, it appears that this chick has a...extra long or protruding larynx? Or a very short neck? Nothing seemed inflamed, there were no signs of infection, the chick doesn't sneeze or wheeze or show any signs of respiratory distress. Anyway, the lump is being caused by this.