Gagging and barking ADVICE PLEASE

[ChirpyChicks1]

Well yesterday held so much joy for my family, we got our first egg! But now I'm awfully concerned about the flock.

I cleaned the coop this weekend and last night put in the new vinyl flooring, put the coop back together and put a big bag of fresh pine shavings down in the coop. Unfortunately the flock was already roosting when I was having to do all of this but it had to get done so they didn't make a nasty mess on the vinyl. This morning I went out to check on them and one of the girls was squawking pretty loudly (this is not uncommon for her). But then I noticed that she'd squawk really loud and then open her beak and act like she was gagging, and then do the same thing over again.

She didn't act like she wanted off the roost even though she was walking around so I lifted the waterer to her and she took multiple good drinks. I then got a small handful of feed and although she didn't attack the food she did eat. Finally she got down and joined the others who were now digging in the new pine bedding.

I turned to leave and heard the weirdest loud bark noise. I went back to them and watched, none of them were acting strangely, just digging and scratching. Then I heard it again and I'm 95% sure that it was the same chicken.

My flock does not free range and right now their chicken run is on gravel. They get ACV with the mother in their water and grower crumbles. Kitchen scrapes depending on the day. I'm worried about gapeworm but wasn't sure if she'd still be eating/drinking if she had gapeworm

Then I was wondering it she'd be acting this way simply because of the dusty pine shavings, either the dust or maybe she had ate a piece and it was caught in her throat. None of them have had a problem with the bedding before but they also weren't in the coop the first time I put down fresh bedding.


Advice please, whether you think it is gapeworm and what I need to do or if you think it could be something else all together. Although I don't mean this to be rude or anything like that I've posted a few things on here in the past and never felt like I was given much help

I really need help with this one, I've been researching all morning and can't find anything exactly like what I'm experiencing.

 

[ten chicks]

Well yesterday held so much joy for my family, we got our first egg! But now I'm awfully concerned about the flock.

I cleaned the coop this weekend and last night put in the new vinyl flooring, put the coop back together and put a big bag of fresh pine shavings down in the coop. Unfortunately the flock was already roosting when I was having to do all of this but it had to get done so they didn't make a nasty mess on the vinyl. This morning I went out to check on them and one of the girls was squawking pretty loudly (this is not uncommon for her). But then I noticed that she'd squawk really loud and then open her beak and act like she was gagging, and then do the same thing over again.

She didn't act like she wanted off the roost even though she was walking around so I lifted the waterer to her and she took multiple good drinks. I then got a small handful of feed and although she didn't attack the food she did eat. Finally she got down and joined the others who were now digging in the new pine bedding.

I turned to leave and heard the weirdest loud bark noise. I went back to them and watched, none of them were acting strangely, just digging and scratching. Then I heard it again and I'm 95% sure that it was the same chicken.

My flock does not free range and right now their chicken run is on gravel. They get ACV with the mother in their water and grower crumbles. Kitchen scrapes depending on the day. I'm worried about gapeworm but wasn't sure if she'd still be eating/drinking if she had gapeworm

Then I was wondering it she'd be acting this way simply because of the dusty pine shavings, either the dust or maybe she had ate a piece and it was caught in her throat. None of them have had a problem with the bedding before but they also weren't in the coop the first time I put down fresh bedding.


Advice please, whether you think it is gapeworm and what I need to do or if you think it could be something else all together. I've posted a few things on here in the past and never felt like I was given much help

I really need help with this one, I've been researching all morning and can't find anything exactly like what I'm experiencing.

It is possible that she has/had something in her throat(if she will let you,open beak and look to see if anything is lodged in throat) i do not think it is gapeworm,but if you are concerned i am giving a link for you to look at. Best advice is to keep monitoring her condition,make sure it is not a coughing sound she is making which could indicate a respiratory issue. Post #12 describes gapeworm.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/419463/if-they-have-worms-what-is-the-treatment/10

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

Thank you for your quick reply ten chicks! And thank you for your advice Right now I don't have anyone to assist me in looking down her throat, she isn't the nicest bird in the flock so I'll need another pair of hands. I'm going to keep going out every hour or so to monitor her.

I've watched a few videos on coughing/sneezing and read tons of posts about them too, gapeworm as well but I'll check out the link you provided. When I heard the "bark" the chicken made no body movement. Does that make sense? When you see a chicken cough their whole head, neck, and sometimes body moves. When my chicken made this noise there was none of that, they were all six right next to each other so I was watching them all. I couldn't not 100% say which one did it.

chickens!

 

[ten chicks]

Thank you for your quick reply ten chicks! And thank you for your advice Right now I don't have anyone to assist me in looking down her throat, she isn't the nicest bird in the flock so I'll need another pair of hands. I'm going to keep going out every hour or so to monitor her.

I've watched a few videos on coughing/sneezing and read tons of posts about them too, gapeworm as well but I'll check out the link you provided. When I heard the "bark" the chicken made no body movement. Does that make sense? When you see a chicken cough their whole head, neck, and sometimes body moves. When my chicken made this noise there was none of that, they were all six right next to each other so I was watching them all. I couldn't not 100% say which one did it.

chickens!

I have seen my girls stretch their necks and open mouths repeatedly,in my case they have just been adjusting their crop and stop after couple minutes. If she is eating feed/grit and drinking water,just watch her for any other symptoms. Keep an eye on poop,usually first indication something is wrong.

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

Will do and thank you, I feel a lot better now

 

[pawprint2104]

Mine will "bark" sometimes, too. Their calls, chirps, and whistles vary throughout the day. I haven't quite figured out their communication yet, but I'm having fun trying. When mine "bark", it's quite loud and sharp. When I look at them, it's hard to tell which one is doing it. None of them move when the sound is made *headscratch*. All that being said, they've done that for years now. The barking seems to be a normal part of their vocabulary.

 

[ChirpyChicks1]

Mine will "bark" sometimes, too. Their calls, chirps, and whistles vary throughout the day. I haven't quite figured out their communication yet, but I'm having fun trying. When mine "bark", it's quite loud and sharp. When I look at them, it's hard to tell which one is doing it. None of them move when the sound is made *headscratch*. All that being said, they've done that for years now. The barking seems to be a normal part of their vocabulary.

Do you have a video of it? What you said sounds exactly like what I've experienced. I've tried finding videos because I've read posts from people saying their chickens bark but I want to actually hear it myself, I found one but the chicken barking is moving the same as coughing. Sounds similar but not quite the same. It was such a weird sound, nothing like I've heard before. This same chicken (Spock) use to always sound like a goose or turkey when she was younger but she quit making those sounds when she got her big girl voice

. I've gone out twice since I made this post and she seems alright for now. She's still squawking as loudly as ever but no longer gagging thank goodness.