I have about 30 young chickens housed together, all hatched here in 3 different hatchlings, each group being about 6 weeks apart. Still able to tell the youngest group from the others but the 2 older groups all look alike. Last week I had one, think it was a cockerel, just wandering about aimlessly, had that 1000 yd stare, (think drunk/stoned) but not interested/excited by the scratch and bsfl that the others were busily devouring. I observed ?him for a bit and he walked about with trouble but was obviously not right. Next day he had his head stuck between the watered and the exterior house wall (watered in the run) and I assumed that he was dead. I picked him up by the tail feathers and while not dead there was no reaction when picked up and there was a copious flow of thin mucus out of his mouth. I removed him, dispatched him and watched the others closely but so far all is well with the others. Called a friend who inspects for pilgrims pride growers and he had no idea. Vet was out for other reasons so asked him and too was clueless. Any ideas from the learned collective here? Our only thoughts are a GI obstruction. Thought about doing a necropsy but was afraid of disease spreading potential and really lacked the time.
