Chicken boarders

[Gelbel]

Hello - hope you can help. First panic with my girls.

 

It looks to me as if Rita (my Lohmanns) has a lump/swollen area on the left hand side of her lower neck area. I did manage to get hold of her and can feel nothing - nor did she make more noises when I was feeling that side. I even held her on her back with her head back and that way I she looks 'normal'. When she stands at full height, neck stretched I can see nothing at all.

 

In every other way she appears top notch - eating, lively, normal range of poos etc. She is my greedy girl - but it can't be a impacted crop as she appears all OK as I said.

 

I am pretty sure she is not laying - she's 21-24 weeks. Everything in the vent area is OK too.

 

I do wonder if the pecking order has changed - she did not free range with her pal Joy today - she was out and about on her own. My head hen did have a peck at Rita but that was as I was putting her back down - nothing else after. Joy and Rita had their usual sparring session when they were let loose but no bullying.

 

I am going to check their sleeping set up when they go to bed - see if anything is amiss there. But to be honest everything seems fine.

 

Here are some photos I took on my phone this evening. Sorry if they are a bit big - I resized them all downwards.

 

 

 

And one taken through the conservatory window a couple of weeks ago to compare with

 

Am I worrying about nothing or is it something? Or is she just a fatty?

[Lewis]

It sounds like the crop, where food is stored which is normal

You said its not an impacted crop, is it in a different place to the crop?

 

Can you feel it, you should be able to feel little grains of food inside it, as someone else put it, a bit like a beanbag.

 

 

Welcome to the forum

[Gelbel]

Thank you! I'll try that in the morning - they are all tucked up nice and cozy together now.

 

The lump does not appear smaller in the morning. Mind you - I have yet to be out before they are up so she might have stuffed her face by the time I see them at around 7:20ish.

[The good lifers]

Yes, it looks like her crop, my chooks have similar!I think it's a problem if it doesn't get smaller in the morning, but it sounds like it is.They are lovely pictures!

[quickcluck]

Gelbel, the crop will be empty in the morning as they have scoffed it all!

 

So the 'lump' should be gone. It will reappear as the day goes on

[chick wiggle]

I was a bit disconcerted the first time i noticed this too. It all seems a bit lopsided doesnt it

[Gelbel]

I was a bit disconcerted the first time i noticed this too. It all seems a bit lopsided doesnt it

That's what worried me. It is down in the morning but only slightly and it's positively HUGE compared to my other two.

 

I'll just have to keep an eye on her but she would not let me near her this morning. So she can't be too bad.

 

Thanks for the reassurance.