Hen gagging, spitting up

[gypsymom]

My year-old golden laced wyandotte hen started acting strangely, head dangling, walking unsteadily as if drunk. Now she is gagging and spitting up mucus. She is very sick and I wonder if I can save her, but have no clue what's wrong. Anyone seen this before?

 

[gallusdomesticus]

Chickens can't vomit their 'stomach' contents. If your hen has fluid or bits of food coming out of her beak, it's from her crop. Palpitate it to see if its full. If its hard, it could be impacted. There are a number of threads on this board dealing with treatment. If it's gooshy feeling, she may have an obstruction down stream from her crop which is keeping the crop from emptying. That requires a vet to treat. Both of these conditions are serious, I hope it's something simpler than that.

 

[gypsymom]

I have been looking at other posts dealing with "sour" crop and I think that may be the problem. The stuff she is spitting up is clear and foamy. Her crop is soft and when I massage it she burps a lot of gas. I gave her some water with vinegar and probiotics in it and she seemed to be better temporarily, but is foaming and gassy again. I know yeast fermenting creates gas so that seems likely the problem, especially since my hens are on grass. I just wish I had something to kill off the yeast quicker.