Swollen neck..tumor??

[kitkat2498]

My red has been acting strange the past couple of days. She's usually very mean and active; she pretends she's the roo of our flock of girls. A couple of days ago she started being very docile, not moving much and not eating a lot. She even let me pick her up without pecking at me. Her comb seems pale, and she rests a lot,falling asleep while standing outside. Her poo is a bit runny. Her neck is all out of whack,or so it seems to me. I don't think it's a full crop. It actually kind of looks like there's something wrong with her neck. Does anyone know what this could possibly be? A tumor maybe? Some other swollen part? What can I do to help her? She is my baby no matter how mean she can be, and I hate to see her in pain.

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[Eggcessive]

Is that her crop so full or it is above her crop? I was wondering if she has an impacted or a sour crop, but that seems a little high.

 

[kitkat2498]

It's definitely above her crop. Her crops the lower bump to the right. I wish it was an impacted crop; I know how to treat that! :/

 

[Eggcessive]

Does it feel like there is air under the skin, or it is hard like a mass? Subcutaneous emphysema is a leak of the air sac under the skin that can be a result of an injury. Air can accumulate so much that it can put pressure on vital organs, but it might not be that bad. Some people recommend pulling the air out with a needle and syringe, but it should be absorbed by the body unless it continues to leak. Here is some info: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/171121/deflating-subcutaneous-emphysema

 

[kitkat2498]

No,it doesn't feel like air...it feels more bony.

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm kind of stumped for an answer. Maybe someone else can join in on this .

 

[Louise Ward]

No,it doesn't feel like air...it feels more bony.

Did you get to the bottom of this. I have a chicken that is doing all the things that yours was doing. It has a bony and wonky neck and no crop issues to the feel.

 

[Lolacan]

is it her neck bone? can you follow it with your fingers? is she eating and pooping? is her crop emptying like it should?

 

[Louise Ward]

Thanks for your response. I ended up getting a friend who’s an agricultural vet to take a look at the chicken and he believes it is a damaged or disfigured spin. After manipulating her neck she was uncomfortable trying to have it straightened. She has had an anti inflammatory to see if that helps but I fear the worst. If it is spinal then she won’t be able to eat for herself or drink so would starve herself without me feeding her every day. Poor hen. It does all make sense though.

 

[Lolacan]

I'm glad you had it investigated and understand the outcomes.