constantly honking hen *updated with video*

[notinoz2007]

this is a brief description that i posted in another thread.

i think i have a problem with a crazy hen. she is 9 months old, from months 3-7 she lived at a friends house and was laying eggs. i havent seen an egg from her at my house. (thats another issue) for unrelated reasons i took the 2 big roosters out of the pen (5 days ago) and now she is with a cockerel and 9 other hens. about 2 days ago she started getting pretty vocal, i thought maybe she was taking the alpha chicken position and "crowing". today i noticed her sound was changing. its less of a honk and more of a bleet, i started to watch her and noticed that she is mumbling to herself a lot, making small noises and then all of a sudden, completely unplanned she hiccups this crazy bleet sound. i'm starting to think its not on purpose. its dark and she's in bed now and still about every 20 minutes she bleeeets. what can cause this? has anyone heard of it? is she sick or just crazy? any info is greatly appreciated. thanks


this is the information requested here.

1) What type of bird , age and weight (does the chicken seem or feel lighter or thinner than the others.) mix breed hen, 9 months, largest hen i have YES WEIGHT LOSS, just checked and she is much lighter than last week!
2) What is the behavior, exactly. stretching neck and randomly honking/bleeting,
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? at least 2 days
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? no - *update, i have now noticed sneezing and head shaking in some flock members!
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. no
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. the only major flock change is the removal of the 2 roosters. they were the only chickens in the flock bigger than her. also dusted them with DE last week, could have caused resp issues??
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. normal appetite, layer crumble, veggies. water - i did notice today one waterer has algae growth.
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. cant distinguish hers from the others, all looks like normal poo tho.
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? none, besides asking her whats wrong...
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? treatment at home
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help.
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use. coop is in completely enclosed chain link kennel/run. dirt floor, nest boxes have pine shavings. the chickens all roost on the top of the coop on roof shingles.

 

[tiki244]

I am just taking a stab in the dark but could she have gapeworms?http://www.ultimatefowl.com/wiki/index.php?title=Gapeworm

Or vent gleet? > I have heard that algae growth can cause a hen to "crow". Treating with an anti fungal would cure this if it is the case. Powdered bluestone would also work aka copper sulfate. (use exact treatment) http://www.ultimatefowl.com/wiki/index.php?title=Vent_Gleet

 

[notinoz2007]

i dont know enough about either one of those to know. she doesnt look listless or anything. her comb is actually getting brighter and i took that as a good sign that she would lay again soon. she has been going through what i thought was a molt, her feathers are literally changing colors too. one day she was pure red, the next she had orangish mottling.
would gapeworm only be affecting one out of 15 chickens? she is the only one with this issue. when the hens gape (as with gapeworm) do they make sounds, or just try to get air? she is noisy as she stretches, as if the stretching causes pain maybe?
never heard of vent gleet so i am going to research.
thanks for your info!

 

[tiki244]

I don't know anything about gapeworm, it is just what came to mind because of the throat area.

Funny you should say she is going through a molt. I have a Millie Fleur D 'uccle that everytime she molts she does her little "crow" thing but I have never heard it in the night.

 

[notinoz2007]

i checked into vent gleet and i think i can rule that one out. she doesnt have messy bottom or smell. i will double check in the morning tho, just in case i missed something.

yea, i also thought gapeworm when i did research on the neck stretching and i hope thats not the case - she looks just like my young cockerels when they first start to crow.
she's been roosting for almost 2 hours now and is still making honking dinosaur noises, almost like clockwork.
i guess i'm mostly worried because i have no idea whats going on. if its social or if its illness. thanks for your replies

 

[tiki244]

I hope you can figure it out. The only other thing I was thinking was botulism? From the water? again shot in the dark here. Well that vent gleet can be any yeast infection any where along the digestive tract, but I think I agree with ya there too. that its not. Good Luck

ps Maybe you could try giving her some vitamins and electrolytes and probiotics and see if that will give her a boost to fight it on her own.

 

[notinoz2007]

http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v156/PnkssFreak/?action=view&current=VID_20120927_205908.mp4

ok so i got to worrying and went out to watch her some more. decided to bring her in the house and i discovered that she has in fact lost weight. she is just a floof of feathers, and very close to skin and bones - now i'm really worried! i know this vid is a link but its the only thing i know how to do.
also, 2 other hens sneezed when i was outside with them so i am sure its sickness now. how do i treat them?? oh my gosh and i think she also has mites! i saw something crawl on her comb, i dusted them with DE last week as a preventative but no good apparently.

 

[kevs-chickadees]

I've never had to deal with mites, thankfully, but I'm pretty sure it could compromise her overall health and cause the weight loss etc. If you still have her with you and she will eat I'd try something with a lot of protein in it. Scrambled eggs? Sorry and good luck.

 

[notinoz2007]

yes they are all getting a breakfast of scrambled eggs, with garlic - i read that could help with worms, so she'll get that til i get medicine for her.
your help is much appreciated

 

[pimachickens]

I don't have any idea what could be wrong, but I just wanted to wish you (and her) luck. I am so sorry.

I hope someone can identify the problem.