Help help...Momma hen sick and still hatching chicks.

[HotLips]

I have a hen sitting on eggs. Some hatched yesterday with more to come. Saw her acting like this a few minutes ago. What is wrong? Am I going to lose momma? Kinda in a panic. I like my chicks raised by mom.

 

[DowntownWings]

Is there a picture missing? If you are trying to post a video you will have to do it to YouTube then copy the link here so we can watch it. How is she acting?

 

[HotLips]

Oh, yes it's a video. Looks like she's gasping for air. Opens mouth, stretches neck a bit, no sound comes out.

 

[nuthatched]

She's either panting or adjusting her crop.
Any other symptoms?

 

[HotLips]

None I'm aware of. Adjusting her crop? What's that about?

 

[nuthatched]

None I'm aware of. Adjusting her crop? What's that about?

A crop is an organ that's on a chicken's chest that they store food in to digest later like the first stomach on a ruminant.
It often needs adjusted so the food moves through.

 

[HotLips]

She did close her eyes a bit and shook her head. She did the gasping thing several times.

 

[HotLips]

I know what a crop is just don't usually see chickens do this unless sick and later die because I don't know what's going on or what to do.

Looked into youtube and don't think that's happening. Fb?

 

[nuthatched]

She did close her eyes a bit and shook her head. She did the gasping thing several times.

Is she acting distressed?
Chicken's adjust their crops multiple times a day, it's normal.
She could have something in her airway.
Is She's too hot?

 

[HotLips]

It's still cold here. I'm in MI. Very stormy day today with snow last night, expecting freezing rain today. Raining now. I have her in a nesting box inside my brooder with a heat lamp to help keep temp no lower that 50. Seems to work out well.

Does not otherwise seem distressed, just extremely protective which is her normal broody self. She actually allowed me to change the water out without attacking me this morning but I thought she maybe understood what I was doing and not after her chicks.

I'm going to go back out and check on her and get back. Maybe I can get some photos this time if she's still doing it.