Hen vomiting

[KiwiChook]

Help, one of my two hens is vomiting regularly (every 30 minutes or so)
I first noticed about 2 days ago and I don’t think she has been laying for about 5days now. She is still moving about but not racing around like normal. She Jumped out of her pen tonight. I feed her food scraps and layer pellets
I’ve given her some yogurt today but don’t know what else to do. I’m worried she might get dehydrated and die…, or starve… help!

 

[iajewel]

Has she been wormed? Does she have grit? Have you gone down the basic list?

worms
Lice
Is she picking up stuff off the ground like metal or poison?
Does she have grit

You know... the basic list?

If you have gone down the basic list, then you need to check for blockage.. chickens don't normally through up.. unless it can't get down.. Open her mouth and look, even look with a flash light or a small finger..

If non of that shows a result, your vet can scope her.

Hope everything turns out alright.

 

[KiwiChook]

Hi iajewel, thanks for your reply!
I've had them both for only 4weeks from a reputable breeder so I presume wormed and vaccinated. I haven't noticed anything wrong with their poop. The odd runny one is normal isn't it. I've recently powdered both birds as I did found they had some lice around the vent (which is what I put down to the reduction in laying)
I notice she does roll her head in a funny way from time to time. (I just thought shes a bit funny or maybe the lice had been anoying her) I just checked her throat as you suggested and didn't notice anything.
she has no lice today the powder from the vet worked well.
I did notice her crop seems swollen and soft. like a water balloon.

 

[KiwiChook]

Yes she has grit. I have just picked up a different bag of coarser stuff, I wonder if that could be the problem. The pieces are between 1/4"-1/2". It did seem more coarse than what I normally would give the birds.

I also had a bit of a sniff while inspecting the throat but I did not smell anything stinky.

 

[iajewel]

If they had lice, they could have worms, you won't always see worms in the poop. I would put some liquid safe guard in the water, or you can use the paste but you have to really know how much to give.
If they were not acting like this prior to the lice powder it could be the powder doing it. That is a poison, and to much can give a bad reaction. In that case a bath would be in order. If they ate any of the powder, that can also be something to think about.
As for grit.. Im no expert as I free range and don't buy the stuff.
With out actually seeing her.. its anyones guess really.. as now I learn she is holding her head funny.. something that was not orignally mentioned.. you see her.. I don't.
A vet will know.. maybe?
The swollen croop may mean she got some metal in there and its gonna have to come out.. Thats a vet thing, I wouldn't want you to do it, although you could.. trouble is there what I would tell you could kill her if its sharp and coming back up. so.. again.. vet
She does need to eat. In the mean time I would suggest some Sorgrum and water just for something in her system. bread soaked in milk also goes down easy. My dad used bread and milk as a cure all, and amazingly enough.. it did cure all most of the time.
Hope she passes what ever is in there, or you find out whats wrong.
Let me know Im intrested to learn what is wrong.

 

[KiwiChook]

Thanks,
I've given her some water and held her upside down while massaging her crop. A good pile of smelly stringy green gunk came out.
I'll keep her inside tonight and make sure hes gets plenty of milk/bread and yogurt.
The first time I noticed her throw up was before the lice powder so I'd like to think we could rule poisoning out. I'll bath both birds when I get the chance tomorrow and talk to the vet + pick up a wormer.
Thanks again
Bevan

 

[iajewel]

stringy smelly green gunk... humm.. that could have been it.. if it was balled up good enough it wouldn't pass.. Hope she is better this AM..

 

[KiwiChook]

She's no better this morning so decided to take her to the vet. wait and see now

 

[iajewel]

Let me know what it was.. Im curious to learn something here.

 

[KiwiChook]

vet wormed her and said "see how that goes"...

I get the feeling the vet was a bit busy to muck around with a chicken.. It was like a circus there with sick animals waiting to be seen.
The visit cost more than 2 new chickens too, but thats not the point I know. She still didn't look to flash this morning. Wait and see... Bread and milk... Fingers crossed...