Confused

[tatiana916]

The other day my 9 month old orpington bantam was absolutely fine, acting completely normal. This morning I came in to feed them and she was on her back in the coop eyes closed and legs twitching as if she was going through the latter stages of a painful death. I rushed over to her and put her in a box with lots of straw and popped her inside next to a radiator. I gave her a look over and she seemed to be able to hold her weight but after a few seconds would sit down. I gave her some multivitamin solution similar to polyvisol and some water with apple cider vinegar and she immediatly started pecking at some treats that I had put next to her.
I had to go to work so I couldn't take her to the vets but I asked my boyfriend to pop in on his lunch break to check on her and he asked which one was sick because she had managed to escape back into the coop with the other chickens!? He gave her a solution of epsom salts.
I've kept her isolated tonight in the warm but whenever I check on her she immediately gets up and starts eating like she's never seen food before!
One observation I've made which I don't know if its relevant is that when she eats she does this wierd neck jerk as if something is stuck and shes helping move it down her throat.she has always done it since I put her out with the adult chickens, so over 6 months.
What on earth was wrong with her this morning!? I honestly thought she was going to die in the space of time it took me to make her a bed and get some water and treats!

 

[alaskanchickens]

Sounds to me like she's got something caught in her crop. Best way to check is first thing in the morning before she's eaten. I had a 6 month old standard buff orpington that did that and ended up she had a long piece of straw in her crop that was keeping it from emptying. If it's hard, full, in the morning, I could suggest massaging gently to get things going. I started feeding all my hens fermented or soaked feed once this happened with mine. It doesn't swell in the crop and they stay more hydrated. Plus it's full of good probiotics that will help her too. Hope she gets better soon! But from the sound of it, she is.

 

[tatiana916]

Thankyou for your advice. She's been fine for the last few days so I popped her back in with the others, she seemed nice and happy and back to her usual self. I tried her with soaked feed and massaging her crop I thought all was fine then I found her dead a minute ago when I went to close them up for the night. Such a shame.