Chicken sticking neck out and opening mouth wide

[MIChicken]

Hi Everybody,

I will go back and introduce myself properly but right now I have an urgent problem.

I am a first time chicken mama. I picked up my 2 five week old Buff Orpington chicks last Saturday. They are both very sweet. I noticed 2 days ago that one of them was jutting it's neck out and opening it's mouth very wide. It didn't seem to be breathing heavily or have any other symptoms. I thought it seemed to stop but I noticed that it was doing it again. Today it was also doing a little head shaking and she did sneeze a few times. I'm so worried.

I started thinking. Since I've had her she has always been the quietest of the two (the other chick is really NOISY). She is bigger but seems to catch a few more naps during the day. She is very active though and chases bugs, floppily flies to be near me, perches on my shoulder, and does seem to be the dominant of the two. One of them did have some reddish brown poo the first day but I'm not sure which one and haven't seen any since. But she looks like she is struggling when she does this open mouth thing, like she can't swallow or is going to vomit. It's really scaring me. Please help.

Thanks so much.

 

[Peeplperson]

Does it look something like a silent crow? I've had a few chicks do that. They stick out their necks and open their beaks. I'm a newbie, but assumed that since they do so much preening, the probably had some 'chick fuzz' stuck in their throats. I hand fed some chick feed, and watched them drink, and it went away. Kind of like having a hair stuck in your throat - irritating, but not dangerous.

 

[Chickenfeet]

I have a 5 month old hen doing the very same thing!! Can not find an answer anywhere. Hopefully this will bump it back. Hope we get an answer soon. Good luck and I'll say a prayer for the both of you.

 

[ThePamperedPullet]

Just like you and I, Chickens stretch and yawn. It seems that the chicks do it more than the adults. Nothing to worry about. Kind of cute to watch them do it though.

 

[Chickenfeet]

It seems like she is gasping or she is having a hard time swallowing. She is doing it as she is breathing. Its too strained to be a yawn. Thanks for responding PamperedPullet!

 

[cobrien]

I have seen chicks do something like this, stretching their neck out and opening their mouth wide, sometimes 2-3 times in succession. It worried me at first but nothing came of it. If they are eating drinking and not having trouble breathing other than this occasional behavior, I wouldn't worry but watch for more sneezing or runny eyes/nose. maybe more experts will respond with some good advice, but these are my thoughts.

 

[Peeplperson]

If she's still doing it, I'm guessing that a handful of feed won't cut it - sorry. Hope you find an answer. We could all learn.

Good thoughts coming your way

 

[firedove]

I have an 11-week-old chick that did that for one day. She had eaten too much and slightly impacted her crop. While I was still looking up what to do she must have cleared whatever was the obstruction because she stopped doing it and by the next day her crop had gone down by half.

 

[MIChicken]

they better not be roo's or I'm in big trouble!!

 

[soler]

I am a newbie, but i believe gapeworms are unlikely in a bird that age that is, presumably, indoors.

My chicks do that sometime, often after eating, and i believe they are "adjusting their crop" (the bump they get after eating kind of above their chest). If the poo is normal, the eyes/beak are clear of discharge, and it's behaving otherwise normally (active, eating, drinking, napping, as opposed to standing with eyes closed and droopign wings etc), i think it will be ok.