Brahma "yelling" when eating...

micstrachan

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Apr 10, 2016
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My six month old Brahma, Buttercup, sort of "yells" sometimes when she eats. My New Hampshire Red, Rusty, did exactly the same thing right before she died, so I'm a tad paranoid. Seems like Buttercup is trying to clear her airway. Is she just eating too fast and clogging things up? Or could she have a sour crop or gape worm or something? Felt her crop, and it seemed maybe a little squishy.
Her diet consists of organic layer crumble with free choice oyster shell, egg shell, and grit. Occasional treats lately have been kale, full fat greek yogurt (thought they might need probiotics... have a few mildly poopy bums), sprouted wheat berries (just barely turning to short wheat grass... just about a couple tablespoons worth of grains shared by nine chickens), and super worms, which I use to call them in from free range time. (Each girl gets about two.)
How do I assess her for either sour crop, gape worm, or something else? Could it be normal? Her behavior is completely normal.
 
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Well, Brahmas have been known to be rather enthusiastic eaters. She may also be vocalizing to exert dominance at the feeder. Those would be normal behavior, but there's a chance something else could be going on, of course.

The first clue that a chicken has a health problem is usually change in behavior, the "corner of your eye" sense that a chicken isn't acting their normal self. They may be less active, more quiet than usual, and "droopy", tail held down and flat.

That's when I inspect a chicken beginning at the crop. This inspection has two parts. What does the crop feel like now? And what does the crop feel like in the morning while a chicken is still roosting? A crop that is watery and squishy now and still watery and squishy in the morning is likely sour crop. A crop that is full of hard lumps now and is still full of hard lumps in the morning is likely impacted. Figure out which, and we can treat it.

Then inspect the rest of the body. Is the chicken skinny? Is the breast bone sharp and exposed or does it have meat on it? Are there any lumps or injuries? Is the skin red anywhere or swollen?

Inspect legs and feet. Even the smallest injury on leg or foot can cause a lot of pain, enough to alter normal behavior. Scales tight or raised? Feet scabby on the bottoms or tops? Any abrasions? Any toenails torn?

Last. The poop can tell you a lot. Is it normal and firm? (except for cecals which are always liquid evil.) Or white and watery? Or brown and watery and smelly.

If your young Brahma is behaving normally in every respect but the vocalizing and her body passes the above inspection, I wouldn't worry.
 
Thank you. I will check her crop in the morning and compare. As far as skinny, I can feel the breast bone in all of my chickens, but none protrudes like my one girl who got super skinny. Honestly, I don't know how to tell, but she feels comparable to everyone else and acts completely normal. Like I mentioned before, there are a few mildly poopy bums in the flock, and hers is one of them. I think everyone's poops are well formed. Oddly, there were a few black poops today, like when I give them berries. Except, I didn't give them berries, so I'll have to check with my neighbor (they love to hang in his yard). Don't know who owns the black poops, but they were well formed, too.
 
I think you have a good sense of the health and well being of your flock. Poop can vary, as you are aware, according to what they eat.

Continue to pay attention to behavior and trust your instincts. No need to second guess them. They are already serving you well.
 
Lol only thing I can say is my girls- not sure which ones now....( as Hannibal is gone ) make a racket right before they lay an egg..... with windows closed and tv on one can’t usually hear, BUT otherwise.....
 
Thanks. Oh, yes, most of mine do a hilarious egg song. One of them even announces her sisters' eggs. LOL!
Buttercup stretches her neck out when she does the yelling (coughing?) thing. Her crop was empty this morning. I think she eats the dry stuff so fast it gets a little stuck.
 
Buttercup is still screaming sometimes when she eats. It’s the exact same sound Rusty made right before she died (literally screamed overcsnd over and over and died... like she couldn’t breathe). It definitely seems like Buttercup clogs her airway whe she eats. Shat can cause this? Aside fron the screaming, Buttercup seems healthy. Will check her crop again in the morning.
 
I would stop feeding yogurt..Chickens can not digest dairy products..Stomach upset and the poops..Try cutting back on the snacks for a few days. Keep feeder filled and water.
Have the oyster shell out in a separate bowl. grit also..
Best wishes.
 

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