6 month old Chick eating weird..?

[Chick3nLover]

Hey everyone, I have an about 6 month old chick who recently I noticed was eating weird. It like she eats but then has to stop to swallow, meanwhile all her siblings eat head down just like normal. I’ve watched her eat for the last week or so, massaged her crop and felt/ tried to look down her throat. I’m just worried about her.

Other then this she seems perfectly fine. She’s my biggest hen of them all, is more interested in food than anyone else, and is very sweet and social to me. Tonight it just sound weird I could hear her struggle a bit with eating, but she ate just like normal. Could it be the time of day I feed her at? Sometimes I feed them at 7:00pm sometimes at 4:30pm and sometimes at 6:30pm. And of course AM. Is when they are let out. Any thoughts?

 

[MysteryChicken]

Is she getting enough water?

 

[Chick3nLover]

Is she getting enough water?

I believe so, she access to water all day.

 

[MysteryChicken]

I believe so, she access to water all day.

I would examine her drinking habits. Dehydration can cause problems swallowing.

 

[Chick3nLover]

I would examine her drinking habits. Dehydration can cause problems swallowing.

Okay I’ll watch her tomorrow morning for about 10 minutes and then agian, in the afternoon and evening. Thanks for the advice, I’ll get back to you if I noticed anything.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Okay I’ll watch her tomorrow morning for about 10 minutes and then agian, in the afternoon and evening. Thanks for the advice, I’ll get back to you if I noticed anything.

Okay, sounds good.

 

[Chick3nLover]

Okay, sounds good.

Hi I know it’s been a few days… Srry

But I have watched her drink over these past couple days and she seems to be drinking fine, she drinks a little bit differently then her three other 6 month old siblings, but she’s still getting water, and just as active as them.

I have a weird theory, but here it is:
After examining her both that first physical time and then agian now with just watching her habits, it’s almost like her tongue is part of the problem. It seems like it’s to big or to floppy or both and it gets in her way when drinking and eating. She is honestly so healthy that I think this may just be something she was born with, and not an actual health problem. She also seems to eat pellets better then crumble, don’t know if that’s part of it, but I’ve just observed that over the last 2 weeks or so.
Hope that made sense.

Thank you for all your help, I will let you know if I notice any decline in her eating or drinking.

 

[Coops Dad]

I have a cockerel with a shorter than average neck (compared to the others in the bachelor pen) and he occasionally pauses during eating to stretch his neck and adjust his crop/work the pellets down into his crop. One of my broad breasted white turkeys does the same but he's a little piggy and absolutely inhales his food; I can SEE the wads of pellets in his throat as they move down.

The "normal" way of eating is covered under a wide umbrella in chickens as well as people. My teenage son eats a Chick-fil-A sandwich in three bites, two if challenged; my wife takes forty or fifty bites to do the same job. I'm "normal" and it's a six or seven bite sandwich.

As long as your chicken is healthy, I wouldn't fret over her eating habits.

 

[MysteryChicken]

Hi I know it’s been a few days… Srry

But I have watched her drink over these past couple days and she seems to be drinking fine, she drinks a little bit differently then her three other 6 month old siblings, but she’s still getting water, and just as active as them.

I have a weird theory, but here it is:
After examining her both that first physical time and then agian now with just watching her habits, it’s almost like her tongue is part of the problem. It seems like it’s to big or to floppy or both and it gets in her way when drinking and eating. She is honestly so healthy that I think this may just be something she was born with, and not an actual health problem. She also seems to eat pellets better then crumble, don’t know if that’s part of it, but I’ve just observed that over the last 2 weeks or so.
Hope that made sense.

Thank you for all your help, I will let you know if I notice any decline in her eating or drinking.

Can she benefit from a wet mash too?

 

[Chick3nLover]

Can she benefit from a wet mash too?

I tried that once, it seemed the same.