Getting worried....choking?!?

[karmical]

Hey out there....so I got home from work and all my girls were at the run door with a big welcome...the usual...then I noticed they had somehow got their little door to the coop closed for who knows HOW long while I was at work. Checked a few of their crops and they were flat as a pancake, so I'm thinking they must have been stuck outside most of the day with no access to food, which they always come inside for throughout the day. They do have water outside though.

So I let them all in and they immediately started to eat and I went up to the house to get out of my work clothes. I come back down and my BR who is usually the one always at my feet curiously pecking at everything is off to the side doing this weird thing with her neck...almost like trying to throw up. And her neck looks kind of lumpy although when I run my fingers down it, it doesn't really FEEL lumpy. I watched her for a good 20 minutes doing this. She let me pick her up a couple of times and feel her neck which is NOT like her.

Then I notice this strand of bubbly "snot", for lack of a better description, about 3 inches long coming out of her mouth. I pulled it off and it just felt like spit really and it didn't smell like anything.

Any ideas? I can't get her to drink. Can chickens get stuff stuck in their throats? From maybe eating too fast? Maybe it'll just work itself down? She seems to be breathing mostly OK, although every now and then a hear a throaty rasp and she's definitely not acting "herself".

OK I admit it....I'm officially worried.

 

[buckbeak]

Oy- I don't know how to help! I read your post & saw no replies, so I did a search on choking. Most people's chickens seem to "come out of it" on their own. Is she still choking? Do you think you should call a vet?
Hopefully someone can help better than me SOON!!!

 

[karmical]

Thanks for the support buckbeak...helps sometimes just to get a reply!

I did the search on choking too and figure I'm gonna have to probably just wait it out. She's still doing it. But I'm wondering if I'm overreacting...she's not on her side gasping for air or anything, and it seems to be bothering ME more than it is HER! They're all up on their roost for the night now and she'll stand up every few minutes and do the weird throw-upy thing with her neck and sits back down....she just seems more "out of it" than I've ever seen her.

If nothing else, I'm finding an avian vet TOMORROW!! My girls are just 11 weeks old and I haven't had occasion yet to need to call one. Bad mommy not to be more prepared!!

Oy...indeed...

 

[justusnak]

Wow, poor things....I had the very same thing happen...last year...with my RIR's. Im guessing the wind blew it shut. UGH! Well....one was choking....gasping....I think it was just a bunch of dry food. FIRST thing that hit my mind was hook worms! AAAhhh! She went to bed, and later the next day was fine. Guess she got a drink, and washed it down. Hope yours is ok in the morning.

 

[buckbeak]

I just hope she is getting enough oxygen!! Can she stay on the roost, or does she fall off? When you checked for choking, did you find the stuff about gapeworm? Could that be a possiblity?

 

[karmical]

I did see the post about gapeworm, and I'd consider that if this hadn't happened directly after a feeding frenzy. They eat crumbles, so I guess it's conceivable it could get all clumped up in her esophogus if she ate too fast. I just wish she would drink something!!!

Last check, she was fine on the roost...not falling off or anything...I'm gonna go check again now before it's too dark to see in there without the flashlight.

I'm hoping it's like justusnak said happened and I'll find her back to normal in the morning.

Back in a few...thanks you guys!

 

[speckledhen]

It does sound like she just ate too fast because she was hungry and got some food lodged in her throat.

 

[karmical]

Well, she's managed to move herself to a new spot on the roost and is still doing the weird neck thing. Seems to be breathing ok still...just an open-mouthed rasp every once in a while, but pretty calm (calmer than me!

). Finger crossed it clears overnight.

Oy....I don't know HOW I'd ever deal with having human babies when I'm THIS nuts over my chickens!!!!

Thanks again, everybody, for the support....feeling a little less worried now

 

[silkiechicken]

Hopefully she will be better in the morning. My guess is that she has a particularly sticky piece of food stuck in her throat. Good luck!

 

[SpottedCrow]

Sounds to me like she gulped her food and a chunk got caught.