Help!

[aschweitzer10]

my sweet Goldie has been acting a bit off this last week. I noticed her staying puffed up which I figured was from the cold. We brought all 3 girls inside last night to keep them warm. This morning the 2 girls ran right out to their coop, but Goldie took her time. She stumbled down the step which is not normal for her. We decided to bring her back in. She sat in the same spot we put her down at in the kennel for a long time. She finally moved and I opened the door to see if she wanted to come out. She started doing an odd head bobbing movement and threw up clear liquid. I don’t know what to do and none of the vets around me can get us in anytime soon. Help!

 

[Debbie292d]

Awe, sorry. How old is Goldie and what has she been eating lately? Has her poop looked normal to you? What breed is she?

When chickens upchuck water, it's usually due to a high intake of water.

Maybe her crop is upset. Try check it at night, then the next morning to see if it's empty. You could try give her some probiotics just in case as they'd help her regardless.

 

[aschweitzer10]

Awe, sorry. How old is Goldie and what has she been eating lately? Has her poop looked normal to you? What breed is she?

When chickens upchuck water, it's usually due to a high intake of water.

Maybe her crop is upset. Try check it at night, then the next morning to see if it's empty. You could try give her some probiotics just in case as they'd help her regardless.

She will be 3 years old next month. She has been eating her normal feed and scratch, nothing out of the ordinary. Her poop has been normal and I’m not sure what breed she is. I am also not sure how to check her crop. Are there specific probiotics you would recommend? I will attach a pic of our sweet Goldie girl from a couple days ago

 

[thecatumbrella]

She could be egg bound. When's the last time she layed? Check out this guide: Egg Bound

If this is the problem, you would need to act fast.

 

[Debbie292d]

She will be 3 years old next month. She has been eating her normal feed and scratch, nothing out of the ordinary. Her poop has been normal and I’m not sure what breed she is. I am also not sure how to check her crop. Are there specific probiotics you would recommend? I will attach a pic of our sweet Goldie girl from a couple days ago

Most chickens crops feel like what they ate. If it was a lot of mash, it'd be a little mushy, and if grains, then harder. You check it to determine if she's sick due to a crop issue.

For probiotics, sugar-free Greek Yogurt is one of the best foods. For their water, I mix a powder in. We have Hydro-Hen and Sav-A-Chick, but there are several powders about the same thing.

 

[coach723]

Image of the crop below, picture shows a very full crop. When they eat it fills, and then empties as they digest. Feel around with your fingers to see how it feels. Don't press hard enough to force anything back up, if it's very full.
Also feel her abdomen, below the vent, between the legs for any bloat, either water balloon like, or very firm. Compare with a well bird if you aren't sure.
Do you know when she last laid normally?
At 3 years old reproductive problems are not uncommon, those can include, cancers, infections, and internal laying.

 

[aschweitzer10]

She could be egg bound. When's the last time she layed? Check out this guide: Egg Bound

If this is the problem, you would need to act fast.

Thank you for the reply. We were able to get her in with an amazing vet a couple hours away. It turns out Goldie had a tumor that we did not know about. We made the hard decision to let her go peacefully. It really tore us all up because she was truly the sweetest chicken we have ever known

 

[aschweitzer10]

Awe, sorry. How old is Goldie and what has she been eating lately? Has her poop looked normal to you? What breed is she?

When chickens upchuck water, it's usually due to a high intake of water.

Maybe her crop is upset. Try check it at night, then the next morning to see if it's empty. You could try give her some probiotics just in case as they'd help her regardless.

Thank you for the reply. We were able to get her in with an amazing vet a couple hours away. It turns out Goldie had a tumor that we did not know about. We made the hard decision to let her go peacefully. It really tore us all up because she was truly the sweetest chicken we have ever known

 

[aschweitzer10]

Image of the crop below, picture shows a very full crop. When they eat it fills, and then empties as they digest. Feel around with your fingers to see how it feels. Don't press hard enough to force anything back up, if it's very full.
Also feel her abdomen, below the vent, between the legs for any bloat, either water balloon like, or very firm. Compare with a well bird if you aren't sure.
Do you know when she last laid normally?
At 3 years old reproductive problems are not uncommon, those can include, cancers, infections, and internal laying.
View attachment 3795350

Thank you for the reply and the information. I am going to save it for future use. We were able to get her in with an amazing vet a couple hours away. It turns out Goldie had a tumor that we did not know about. We made the hard decision to let her go peacefully. It really tore us all up because she was truly the sweetest chicken we have ever known

 

[coach723]

I'm very sorry for your loss.
But glad you were able to have her seen and get peace of mind that you were making the right decision. It can be very hard to do, but often is the kindest thing you can do for them. So sorry.