Emrosenagel

Chirping
Oct 2, 2020
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42
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Hello!

I have a mottled cochin bantam (Gil) about 18 weeks old. She lives with two blue Andalusians that are the same age. Yesterday when I let them out, I noticed that none of them were really eating very much. The blues did a little bit, but Gil didn't at all. She ate grass and whatever bugs she could find. Fast forward to later on in the day, I let them free range a bit in the backyard and, at first, Gil flew around and ran and scratched with the other two, but than she got tired and spent some time laying down. She also wasn't very ravenous for bread as the other two, and still did not eat feed before bed. Her crop wasn't empty, but certainly wasn't full.
This morning when I let them out, the blues ate their feed but Gil still didn't. This time, she did one romp around the run before going back in the coop and laying down in the hay. She looked a bit sleepy. I decided to separate her at that point, just in case. When I went back out to get her, she was out again with the others, causing a fuss to get out the door.
In the hospital cage, she is very stressed and loud. I offered her feed and she did eat a little bit. When I gave her scrambled egg, she ate even more of that. While watching her, I noticed she is smacking her beak whenever she eats. Wiping it excessively, and scratching it with her feet. It clicks a lot when she chews, as if something is stuck, but I can't see anything in there. She still didn't eat as ravenously as my chickens normally do, but that may be because she's stressed to be away from her flock. I'm not sure.
Besides the not eating and slight decrease in activity, she acts pretty normal. Normal poops, her vent looks fine, face and comb red as can be. She weighs about 1.12 lbs. Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I already lost one bantam to hawk earlier this month. I don't want to lose the other.

Thanks
 
I would let her out with her flock. Can look inside her beak and throat for any mucus or something stuck inside? Does she have any bubbles in her eyes or noisy breathing? Check her crop early in the morning before she eats or drinks to make sure that it is empty.
 
I would let her out with her flock. Can look inside her beak and throat for any mucus or something stuck inside? Does she have any bubbles in her eyes or noisy breathing? Check her crop early in the morning before she eats or drinks to make sure that it is empty.
I looked in her beak, but I will again cause with some help because she was too squirrely to get a good look. Nothing dripping from her nose, no bubbles in the eyes. I don't hear any labored breathing, but she's had a funny sounding cluck ever since her voice changed (kind of raspy) I checked her crop before they came out this morning and it was empty.

I just find it odd that whenever she tries to eat a seed or something, she instantly wipes her beak like crazy or scratches it. Something is definitely irritating her.
 
Do you notice her swallowing a lot, such as if mucus is dripping into the back of her throat? Is there any head shaking? A mild respiratory virus or irritation from dust, mold, or poor air circulation, as well as an environmental allergen might be possible.
 
Do you notice her swallowing a lot, such as if mucus is dripping into the back of her throat? Is there any head shaking? A mild respiratory virus or irritation from dust, mold, or poor air circulation, as well as an environmental allergen might be possible.
No swallowing, but they all shake their heads and have been since they were very small. But they mainly only shake their heads in the evening when the bugs run rampant (I live in Florida and it has been a very hot, humid summer).
While I was checking her throat again, I notice that she has scabs on her toes as well. One on the same toe on both feet. I never noticed it before and don't know if it is related, but that may explain the laying down more often and less vigorous scratching, and I have seen her pick at her feet more than a few times.
 

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I have a kind-of update about Gil. For whatever reason, she's started singing the egg song periodically throughout the day. Perhaps she's just feeling a bit under the weather cause she's preparing to lay? I know she's only 18 weeks, but bantams can start laying younger and she matured the fastest out of all of them (her face was red at like 11 weeks, I thought she might be a rooster!)
 

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