Chicken having difficulty eating

[lmterp]

Hi all,

I have a very charming girl who has not been her usual, buoyant self for the last few days. Some little observations - I've noticed, on occasion, she has trouble swallowing BOSS. The other night - a super cold night ahead - I noticed her crop was empty. Yesterday I realized she is not eating much. I tried tempting her with multiple (soft) treats that the other girls feasted on - eggs, yogurt, grapes, cantaloupe seeds. She would be interested, check it out, peck a bit, but mostly walk away.

Shortly before roosting time, I decided to try something I've only given them once or twice in the almost 2 years I've had them. Angel hair pasta. She attacked it ravenous, was very aggressive about getting her share etc. I felt glad that she at least got something in her, even though there was not much nutritional value.

This morning she came bounding out with the others, eagerly going after some BOSS that I'd sprinkled. But, sure enough, she seemed to be having difficulty swallowing a seed, and also did a cursory peck at the chicken feed, and went off by herself. I decided to try the pasta again - and brought her out a bowl with pasta, cauliflower rice and cantaloupe innards/seed. She eagerly ate all the pasta, a few bits of cantaloupe and none of the cauliflower rice. However, although her beak looks normal to me, it was making a clicking sound and it seemed like she might be having some difficulty picking up food. A little bit later, I gave all the girls a few more BOSS, and she came running for them and seemed to be okay eating them.

I'm also not sure if she's drinking. I was with them for quite a while, and didn't see her eat or poop. She did do a sort of semi-squat like she was about to, but then kind of stopped and stood up again. It didn't seem like she was straining or anything. I don't see any sign that she's egg bound. (Most of the chickens are not laying right now - on "winter break")

I have yet to do a more thorough inspection of her body, or her mouth. I did weigh her yesterday and she was the same as 7 weeks ago, BUT down from when she used to be one of the two heaviest.

Also, she still is strong compared to the others. She gets first choice of roosting spots, and that has not changed. She also chased others away from the BOSS about an hour ago.

I'd love any suggestions of things I can try and/or what to look for.

 

[Kiki]

8m sorry she isn't doing well.
Just by reading your post it sounds like your birds get daily treats...too much treats...which means they aren't getting a balanced diet.

Birds that eat too much treats tend to get serious infections much easier than a bird that eats a balanced diet.

When was the last time she laid an egg?
I highly recommend stopping all these extra treats today and only feed a pelleted or crumble age appropriate chicken feed from now on.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you look inside her beak and throat for anything unusual, such as yellow material or canker? It is good to try and keep your chickens on a balanced chicken feed, so they get the best nutrition, and don’t become picky eaters. You can try wetting a little of the feed inna small bowl, which most chickens love. I occasionally give a little scrambled egg bits as a treat. Is her beak overgrown, and could you post a picture of her?

 

[lmterp]

Can you look inside her beak and throat for anything unusual, such as yellow material or canker? It is good to try and keep your chickens on a balanced chicken feed, so they get the best nutrition, and don’t become picky eaters. You can try wetting a little of the feed inna small bowl, which most chickens love. I occasionally give a little scrambled egg bits as a treat. Is her beak overgrown, and could you post a picture of her?

8m sorry she isn't doing well.
Just by reading your post it sounds like your birds get daily treats...too much treats...which means they aren't getting a balanced diet.

Birds that eat too much treats tend to get serious infections much easier than a bird that eats a balanced diet.

When was the last time she laid an egg?
I highly recommend stopping all these extra treats today and only feed a pelleted or crumble age appropriate chicken feed from now on.

Thank you. I don't usually feed them all those treat. I was just trying to entice her into eating. My thinking was that hard foods might be the problem. (I suppose I could have tried mash, but none of them have liked it in the past.)

 

[lmterp]

8m sorry she isn't doing well.
Just by reading your post it sounds like your birds get daily treats...too much treats...which means they aren't getting a balanced diet.

Birds that eat too much treats tend to get serious infections much easier than a bird that eats a balanced diet.

When was the last time she laid an egg?
I highly recommend stopping all these extra treats today and only feed a pelleted or crumble age appropriate chicken feed from now on.

Here is a picture of her. Her beak kind of sounds like a castanet, but I was unable to capture on video. (And maybe they all sound like that?)

 

[lmterp]

Can you look inside her beak and throat for anything unusual, such as yellow material or canker? It is good to try and keep your chickens on a balanced chicken feed, so they get the best nutrition, and don’t become picky eaters. You can try wetting a little of the feed inna small bowl, which most chickens love. I occasionally give a little scrambled egg bits as a treat. Is her beak overgrown, and could you post a picture of her?

Somehow the wrong response is going to the wrong person. Here is a picture of her beak. I will need my husband's help to look in her mouth, but with a very quick glance, I didn't see anything.

 

[lmterp]

8m sorry she isn't doing well.
Just by reading your post it sounds like your birds get daily treats...too much treats...which means they aren't getting a balanced diet.

Birds that eat too much treats tend to get serious infections much easier than a bird that eats a balanced diet.

When was the last time she laid an egg?
I highly recommend stopping all these extra treats today and only feed a pelleted or crumble age appropriate chicken feed from now on.

I have 9 chickens, and this winter only 3 are laying. Last year this happened too, but they also started back by late Jan/early Feb. I think her last egg was back in early November. It's a pretty rough winter here so far --- several nights with temps between 5 and 10 below.

 

[Eggcessive]

Her beak looks overgrown to me. Beaks can be trimmed very slightly at a time with dog nail clippers and a file. They can bleed if you go too far. Overgrown beaks can be a reason they cannot eat well. I like this link which gives details about it:
https://www.hobbyfarms.com/trim-chickens-beak/

 

[lmterp]

Thank you! It would make sense given her difficulty picking up food and the castanet sound it's making when she "chews."