chicken opening/closing mouth...help!

[newchickiemomma]

Hi there,

I'm new to the forum, but have used it as a resource before, and thought I'd see if anyone could help my hen!

She's five months old and yesterday afternoon we noticed that she was opening and closing her mouth constantly. When she opens it, she extends her neck, and then pulls her neck back in every time she closes it. She does it all the time-even when she sleeps, she can't stop (actually, I'm not sure she can sleep!).

She really can't eat or drink, so I've given her some water with an eyedropper, and also some apple cider vinegar and a probiotic, but she doesn't seem to be improving at all.

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

 

[ODS-n-ENS FARM]

I don't have any answers for you ,but I hope someone sees this that can help.

 

[Eggs4Sale]

Have you felt her crop to see if it's overly full?

 

[newchickiemomma]

Her crop is empty now, but yesterday it was full, so that's not it.

 

[Eggs4Sale]

The people who normally are able to answer these questions aren't on at this time, I think. If you don't get an answer, ask again tomorrow earlier, but start a new thread. Sometimes if people see that something has had 5 or more responses, they assume the matter has been resolved and don't read the thread.

 

[kathyinmo]

What does her diet consist of? Does she free range? Has she been wormed lately? Have you checked for lice or mites? What is her environment like... ie housing, bedding, etc?

 

[newchickiemomma]

She eats a mix of organic grains, coconut, garlic and herbs. She lives in a coop with pine shavings. She wasn't vaccinated and hasn't been wormed ever. They free-range most every day for a little while.

I also have some of the other chickens who have had bloody poop recently, too, and diarrhea, so I wonder if it could be related?

Another complication is that my ten hens live with my 20 roosters, and we are getting ready to butcher the roosters, so I want to make sure whatever I treat the hens with for their diarrhea won't make the roosters inedible if they eat some.

Any more thoughts, anyone?

 

[Hoosiermomma]

I'm bumping this hopefully someone can give you some answers and soon.

 

[jjthink]

She could have gotten something stuck, she could have gape worm. Poor girl - this has to be terribly uncomfortable. Is there any chance she ate anything unusual or sharp?

Bloddy poop - important info. Could be cocci - can you post a pic of the poop asap so folks can better help you help her?

JJ

 

[newchickiemomma]

They don't have bloody poop anymore. I noticed it on the walls of the coop. When they were roosting, since it was also runny, it ended up trailing down the walls, and it just looked like pure blood.

To better explain the mouth opening, I should mention that she opens/closes her mouth about every two seconds.

If it's gapeworm, would I be able to see the worm in her mouth?