Hen sounds strangled, balance is off?

[Lucy4]

I'm so worried about her. I went into the coop this morning and she was obviously agitated. She kept repeatedly clucking, but the sound is strangled, like she has something in her throat. I made some oatmeal and brought it to her (she wasn't particularly interested) but she always fell over when I approached her.

This is the only one of my hens who is a pet... the one who hops up on my shoulder for attention, and goes into the nursery schools to meet the kids. I'll be distraught if anything happens to her.

Please, any ideas of what I should do?

 

[easttxchick]

Did you check to see if possibly her crop is impacted?
Any discharge from the eyes/beak?

 

[teach1rusl]

If you have a dog crate, bring her inside so you can observe her. Is she able to drink liquids?

 

[Lucy4]

Ok, please forgive my ignorance, but I don't know how to check if her crop is impacted. Do I just sort of slide my hand up her neck?

I just looked her over and I noticed that there some poop stuck her bottom and the feathers are covered in mess. Should I clean her up? I don't know what I'm doing and am afraid to do the wrong thing and hurt her.

Eyes and beak look ok.

No dog crate, but I can bring her into the kitchen for a while.

 

[easttxchick]

The crop is on the right side of the chest-sort of where the neck and chest meet(or a tad below).
The crop shouldn't be hard or squishy feeling.
If you just have a cardboard box, you can put her in that, but sure you can bring her in the kitchen-she'll probably love it.

I probably wouldn't try to bathe her just yet-see if you can figure out what's going on with her first, just in case it's respiratory, you don't want to chill her with a bath.

 

[Lucy4]

Ok, I have her inside. (And in a dog crate. I'm such a wreck I forgot I have one.) Her breathing is definitely off. I can hear the inhale very clearly. It sounds gaspy.

I felt her crop, but I can't feel anything significant. Then again, I could be doing it wrong.

Should I be giving her special treats to eat, just pellets, or nothing? I put a bowl of water in there. She loves scrambled eggs and wet cat food, but I didn't know if that was over doing it.

What else should I be doing?

 

[easttxchick]

I'd hold the food for a moment-in the event it is a crop issue.
Bear with me, searching for a good way to tell you how to find the crop.

 

[easttxchick]

http://poultrykeeper.com/chickens/health/digestive-system-chicken.html
Sheesh, I thought finding this would be easier. This gives you a good idea of where the crop is located.

 

[Lucy4]

I just called a friend with a large flock. She said the symptoms (poopy butt, respiratory issues) sound like worms. Which she has had a very difficult time treating... she almost always loses the bird. She's going to give me some wormer but is there anything else I should try?

I'm going to clean out the coop and run today. I wonder if this happened because they couldn't go out into the run (which is covered in a foot of snow.)

 

[easttxchick]

OK, poking around a bit, it could be several things just based on the strangled, gasping thing she has going on.
It could be gapeworm(is she stretching her neck out?), wet pox(can you look inside her mouth to see if you see any lesions?), could be her heart(is her comb turning purplish), crop issue or it could be a respiratory thing(watch for symptoms such as discharge from beak/eyes, sneezing).
Short of that, I really don't know what else-I'm sorry I can't be of more help to you and your girl.
Hope she gets better and you can find out what's going on with her.