Chicken choking?

[PonderingKiwi]

My lady who lost her neck feathers appears to be choking. Well.. I don’t think chickens can choke, but she has a big lump in her throat and I can hear her rasping for breath. I think she ate too fast maybe? I grabbed a chicken of the same variety to feel their anatomy.. she definitely has a pretty big lump in her throat compared to a sister. It moves. We don’t have vet money at the moment.. there’s always an emergency after bills come out. Is there anything I can do to help her? Oh and the lump is just below her beak. Right at the top of her neck. It’s firm, moveable, and she is kinda shaking her head and trying to swallow. I brought her inside. When she’s sitting still she has her head tilted back. She has access to water. I just sitting here helplessly watching her jerk around looking like she can’t swallow something.

 

[Certified Chicken Lover]

Try gently massaging it down her throat. I have had to help my chickens with this many times, if that doesn’t work you will need to make her throw it up but that usually works

 

[PonderingKiwi]

Try gently massaging it down her throat. I have had to help my chickens with this many times, if that doesn’t work you will need to make her throw it up but that usually works

Should I try to “force” it gently into her crop? It’s probably the crumble. Should I put some oil in there?

 

[Certified Chicken Lover]

If she is obviously struggling to breathe then yes. If she’s is acting fine but just seems to have a lump of food then leave her alone for awhile and she will probably take care of it herself

 

[PonderingKiwi]

If she is obviously struggling to breathe then yes. If she’s is acting fine but just seems to have a lump of food then leave her alone for awhile and she will probably take care of it herself

I can hear her taking raspy breaths. She’s making crackling sounds and sitting in the “hospital” with her eyes close periodically sitting up and jerking her neck around. Looks like trying to swallow.

 

[PonderingKiwi]

If she is obviously struggling to breathe then yes. If she’s is acting fine but just seems to have a lump of food then leave her alone for awhile and she will probably take care of it herself

I think you can see it there

 

[Certified Chicken Lover]

Yes the picture is helpful! Gently and forcefully massage the clump into her crop. How did this happen? You think it’s a clump of food? A little backstory would be helpful. This normally happens to my girls when I’m giving them treats and they try to take too much but I’ve never experienced it with just feed. Do you have feed out for them throughout the day or just so specific times? Do your hens always have access to clean water?

 

[PonderingKiwi]

Yes the picture is helpful! Gently and forcefully massage the clump into her crop. How did this happen? You think it’s a clump of food? A little backstory would be helpful. This normally happens to my girls when I’m giving them treats and they try to take too much but I’ve never experienced it with just feed. Do you have feed out for them throughout the day or just so specific times? Do your hens always have access to clean water?

I got it! It wouldn’t go down at all and she was not liking that at all.. but she let it come up enough for me to literally grab some of it out of her mouth. Getting some of it out made the rest of it go down. I can feel it in her crop now.

We do our best to free feed. She was just very excited about eating the fresh food, I guess.

I was replenishing their food and she was doing her best to eat it all before anyone else could.

Thank you! I was scared to just try to mess with it without some advice/encouragement. She sounds much better now.

Edit: she’s spending the night inside. Because I want her to get some food at a normal pace and be able to relax, but mostly because I love her and I’ll drive myself nuts wanting to check on her all night. I freshened up the hospital pinechips, gave her a little food, significantly less crumble tho.. mostly just some seeds and corn with a handful of dried blackfly larvae with some nice fresh water with a couple drops of ACV.

 

[Certified Chicken Lover]

I’m so glad she okay! Great job getting it out! It sounds like she’s taken care of wonderfully!

 

[PonderingKiwi]

I’m so glad she okay! Great job getting it out! It sounds like she’s taken care of wonderfully!

I appreciate you she was definitely struggling to breathe around that enormous amount of crumble. Thank you for helping me