red lump on chickens breast

[lewis g]

my chicken has got a red lump on its right breast, she has now had it for six days but i thought it could just be it crop because it might of eaten alot, but i looked today and it is very red and soft..... does anyone know what it could be. thank you

 

[Uniontown Poultry]

Will she let you touch it? Does it appear to be painful? If so, it might be an abcess. Or a tumor. Abscess could be hot and painful, a tumor would feel kind of like a rock. On the other hand, if it's rubbery and feels like it's only involving the skin (in other words, you can slide it around a little), it may just be a fatty tumor. I found a fatty tumor on my 7-year old hen's bottom & man does it look nasty - lumpy, irregular in shape, and angry red, like a rooster's comb. I was so worried (and Greedyguts is my special pet) I took her to the vet. The vet stuck a needle in it, and it was just a fatty tumor. Old Greedy will be fine, as most fatty tumors are benign. I keep an eye on her to make sure the others don't pick it if they see it (it is not very visible). So if you are lucky, if there is anything wrong, it is hopefully nothing more than a fatty tumor.

As far as the crop goes, the crop is like their little feed-bag: when it's full, it will be big and round and stick out through the feathers sometimes. When the feed bag's empty, or at least less full, it will be soft and less visible. Sometimes you can palpate a partially full crop and feel the grains the chicken has eaten. If you aren't sure if the lump is her crop, just check your other chickens' crops. If your lumpy gal has something wrong, you should be able to tell after you've handled the others. Hope this helps.