Chicken acting like something stuck in throat! HELP!!!

[picklestheduck]

Hey yall my golden laced Wyandotte followed me to the barn this morning like normal, i put out food and the flock chowed down. I forgot for a moment that the water was frozen, and when I turned around, my hen Chip seemed to be choking or something. She hunched her neck all up and moved her head around weird and chewed a lot. I quickly broke the ice in the water and set out another water dish near her, but she wouldnt drink. I grabbed her and ran to the house where I got room temperature water and a syringe. I ran back out and set her on he patio table and pushed her beak into the dish....she didnt seem to be doing much but when i let her head up she lifted her head and think swallowed. She keeps closing or squinting her eyes funny and chewing. I gently stuck the syringe in the tip of her beak, I didnt put it far back, I know how to syringe meds and such but I thought I shouldnt force it....shes still acting the same...I put her in the coop alone with some water. Help!!!

 

[Peaches Lee]

She might have just eaten her food too quick (is it pelleted feed?). Give her some time alone and she'll probably work it out on her own.

I wouldn't risk syringing anymore water, it can end up in places you don't want it to causing more problems.

Keep us updated.

 

[Banana01]

Hey yall my golden laced Wyandotte followed me to the barn this morning like normal, i put out food and the flock chowed down. I forgot for a moment that the water was frozen, and when I turned around, my hen Chip seemed to be choking or something. She hunched her neck all up and moved her head around weird and chewed a lot. I quickly broke the ice in the water and set out another water dish near her, but she wouldnt drink. I grabbed her and ran to the house where I got room temperature water and a syringe. I ran back out and set her on he patio table and pushed her beak into the dish....she didnt seem to be doing much but when i let her head up she lifted her head and think swallowed. She keeps closing or squinting her eyes funny and chewing. I gently stuck the syringe in the tip of her beak, I didnt put it far back, I know how to syringe meds and such but I thought I shouldnt force it....shes still acting the same...I put her in the coop alone with some water. Help!!!

Dont worry about them choking so much if you keep their food areas clean. Unless you have metal shavings around or broken glass or trash, not much can go wrong if they get a piece of pellet stuck in their throats. Keep your water dish near enough to the food dish so they can alternate water and food. They know how to drink to clear their throats and the pellets soften up. I sometimes have to feed chickens and the smaller pellet sizes and powdery feeds are always making them choke a little, they are really hard to swallow without water to drink.

Sorry i dont have a solution to your water freezing. I would maybe keep a heated plate for the water or mixing hot water in the ice in the morning.

 

[picklestheduck]

Dont worry about them choking so much if you keep their food areas clean. Unless you have metal shavings around or broken glass or trash, not much can go wrong if they get a piece of pellet stuck in their throats. Keep your water dish near enough to the food dish so they can alternate water and food. They know how to drink to clear their throats and the pellets soften up. I sometimes have to feed chickens and the smaller pellet sizes and powdery feeds are always making them choke a little, they are really hard to swallow without water to drink.

Ok thank you. Yes I have crumble feed. Thanks so much!