Addicted to water, getting worse

[PennelopeSpeaks]

Hi! My 7 year old Blue Langshon Fluffy has been obsessed with water since she was a chick, however over the last few months I have noticed this obsession has increased significantly, and I am getting concerned. Here's some info

-The first thing she dose in the morning when I let them out is RUN to the water. She used to leave it if I brought a snack out with me, but now she is only focused on the water. Sometimes she'll start coming over for a bite and then turn around and run back and stay drinking again. When I put them to bed, she comes out and drinks for awhile even in the dark.

-She drinks for a very long time........ Like 20-30 minutes. This time has been getting longer. Often she drinks until her crop is completely full.

-When free ranging, she will find a puddle and drink out of it for a while as well.

-They have clean, fresh water available at all times
-The weather has not been hotter then usual

- She tends to drink so much that it seems to come back up, sometimes when she bends her head down, liquid will come out (this will happen when she's drinking and she just keeps drinking) this seems to come and go. This is what I'm most concerned about.

-As this behavior has increased, her poop has become largely water, hardly any solid part to it.

-She dose not seem to have fluid build around her body, so I don't believe it is water belly.

-When I went to lock them up for the night today, she was making a weird jerking movement with her neck. Not sure if it's related to this, but I'll try to attach a video. Her crop has been especially full this week, way more then normal.

Other then the excessive drinking, she acts completely fine other wise. She eats, scratches, dust baths all normal things. I have tried researching this, but I haven't found anything. She is practically by baby and I'm getting worried about her as it seems to be slowly worsening. If someone could tell me what is wrong, or if I just have a water addicted chicken and how to help her that would be great

 

[PennelopeSpeaks]

Here's a video of the neck/gaping movement, let me know if it doesn't work!

 

[CoopBoots]

I'm following because this sounds like a really unique problem. Obviously a crop issue comes to mind first, but if she's eating properly and her crop actually empties (if you can tell given she's constantly pumping herself full of water?) then I'm really perplexed. Some other kind of imbalance would seem to be responsible... Like in humans, I'd be guessing something like a thyroid or blood sugar imbalance (and I'd probably be totally wrong, BUT, I super would not attribute this to an addiction or weird habit but a sign of a potentially serious condition).

I'd really recommend posting this in the emergencies forum for a better response! Sorry I can't be of more help... I hope I'm wrong and she just has a really odd love of water!

 

[CoopBoots]

Here's a video of the neck/gaping movement, let me know if it doesn't work!

This is a crop adjustment maneuver; it isn't unusual on its own but does seem to point to some slight discomfort with the state of her crop. Mine do this, but only occasionally.

 

[Livia Ammon]

Silly sloshy chicken. I hope all ends up well.

 

[Livia Ammon]

This is a crop adjustment maneuver; it isn't unusual on its own but does seem to point to some slight discomfort with the state of her crop. Mine do this, but only occasionally.

Is doing that a bunch a problem? Or is it just unusual?

 

[CoopBoots]

Is doing that a bunch a problem? Or is it just unusual?

I would take it happening a lot as a sign of at least mild discomfort of the crop, for which I'd want to find the cause. It is not on its own a problem but points to one, if occuring frequently.

 

[PennelopeSpeaks]

I'm following because this sounds like a really unique problem. Obviously a crop issue comes to mind first, but if she's eating properly and her crop actually empties (if you can tell given she's constantly pumping herself full of water?) then I'm really perplexed. Some other kind of imbalance would seem to be responsible... Like in humans, I'd be guessing something like a thyroid or blood sugar imbalance (and I'd probably be totally wrong, BUT, I super would not attribute this to an addiction or weird habit but a sign of a potentially serious condition).

I'd really recommend posting this in the emergencies forum for a better response! Sorry I can't be of more help... I hope I'm wrong and she just has a really odd love of water!

Thank you for your response! Yes, her crop seems to empty over night I have felt it a few times before she was able to get to the water. I think you are right about it being some kind of imbalance. I was thinking something like type 1 diabetes, since in humans it causes increased thirst and large volumes of urine,(or in chickens water poo I would assume) but just on the research I've done it seems that is very rare, if possible at all. I'm not even sure how I would treat that Thanks for your help and reassurance!