Hen acting like she has something stuck in her throat?

[Red]

Our just-gone 5 year old BSL hen, Penny, has been acting like she has something stuck in her throat.

She is eating, scratching and laying eggs just fine. However today she was drinking quite a lot, and after drinking would stand with her beak open and shake her head. She was scratching at her beak quite a bit with her foot, and when she lowered her head to peck at the ground mucus-y water came out of her mouth. She scratched for a good few minutes, shaking her head and holding her beak open - she is breathing fine, no panting or wheezing, but could something have gotten stuck??

She is quite happily scratting about in the dirt now and looks fine, but should we be worried?? Is there anything we can check for? Her two sisters are acting fine...

Thank you in advance for any advise / suggestions

Red

 

[LynneP]

She may have a something-something stuck in her crop. If it is a piece of ground shell or grit, then apple cider vinegar may assist in clearing it. (about 1 Tbsp per gallon of water, in plastic waterers only, never in galvanized).

If something bulkier she may benefit from a little olive oil, especially if she will consume it willingly- you may have to use a dropper for a tsp or so, but be careful not to force, you don't want to aspirate into the lungs.

If the problem worsens, there are other options, but I have no experience with them and will leave the suggestions to more experienced owners. I have a hen with a little something-something this morning too, and I'm heading back shortly with the olive oil- she already has apple cider vinegar in her water. She let me massage her gently (she's a sweetie).

Good luck with your hen and please let us know how she is doing.

 

[Red]

Thanks so much for the reply

Can my other girls drink the water if we add the apple cider vinegar too, or will it harm them?

Penny is the coward of our three girls, a real chicken! I'm hoping the vinegar water will clear things up and i won't need to stress her out by catching her or anything!

Thanks again for the advice, i'll keep you updated, and good luck with your hen too!

 

[LynneP]

Yes, all your girls can have it, they will probably insist on having ACV every day for the rest of their lives!

My hen a bit better, heading back now.

 

[4hooves&featheredfriends]

If you feel she might have something in her crop, I have been able to get a chicken to vomit. Massage the crop a bit and then turn her upside down holding her securely around the body.

The ACV water works well and olive oil has been recommended- dip bread in it and feed.

 

[Red]

Thank you both, i wouldn't have had a clue what to do otherwise. The girls have been drinking their ACV water no problems, and Penny has been acting fine, no odd behaviour that i have seen for two days now, so i hope the problem is all cleared up!

Thanks again

 

[caralouise1974]

So glad to hear she's fine now.

Must've been just a little something stuck in the crop - my BO had this last weekend and seems fine now (apart from still doing very sticky dark brown poop, which I think is down to all the olive oil/ACV she drank!)

Just wanted to say... do be careful with the 'making the hen vomit' thing - I've read of someone who used to be something of an authority in crop impactions saying that he no longer makes hens vomit (ie turns them upside down and empties their crop), EVER, after having a run of bad luck with doing it - he actually caused every single one to aspirate the contents of their crop and choke to death. They probably wouldn't have died if he had simply tried a more conservative approach to the impaction. In effect, this treatment killed birds which might well have otherwise recovered, so, naturally, that's a bit of a heavy load to have on one's conscience afterwards.

So, it's only for the brave and highly experienced and is very hit and miss - last resort stuff really, for example if you cannot get the bird to a vet and she is fading fast.