Barred Rock hen unable to cluck or bawk

[muircheartaigh]

I recently purchased a barred rock hen and realized soon after introducing her to her new coop and flock that she was hoarse for lack of a better term. She could make a very raspy noise but spent lots of time attempting to call in a series of mouth openings with no sound. I would tend to believe that a mute chicken wouldn't persist with those types of motions if it were a prolonged injury. Wouldn't we see an extinction of the innate neck motions that come with chicken calling if the bird was unable to call? The reason I ask is that the owner tells me she was always a quiet bird. Could she have a deformity or malformation that is hindering her ability to communicate? So many questions. Looking for advice on how to treat this anomaly (first time chicken owner, so this is a first for me) in the form of any home remedies or signs that I should be looking for in determing what is wrong with my chicken.

Thanks!

 

[animallover505]

try a bit of olive oil down her throat to see if there's something stuck in there.

 

[muircheartaigh]

With a dropper? Syringe? Spoon?

 

[Back2Roots]

Check out this online site with instructional video: It's about administering medicine to a chicken, but the same applies for administering a dose of olive oil (try 1 or 2 teaspoons).

http://hencam.com/henblog/2012/10/how-to-give-medicine-to-a-chicken/

 

[animallover505]

Dropper, probably. Or syringe.

 

[cafarmgirl]

Just go very slow and be very careful so she doesn't aspirate any of that oil. Did you keep this bird in quarantine when you first brought her home? Is she making any other noises like coughing or sneezing or watery/foamy eyes, or any other symptoms at all? Hopefully she has not brought a respiratory disease to your flock. That is what I'd be most concerned about.

 

[muircheartaigh]

No, she is healthy otherwise. No tell-tale symptoms. The olive oil, in a very small slow administration seemed to bring her voice back a tad. The rest of the new additions look great. I isolated a lower totem hen as she was being feather picked.