is my chicken ill?

[Rorie]

We have 4 hens and one cockerel. They are 10 weeks old. One of the hens always sits on her own and is doing this weird head bobbing thing. Yesterday she was vomited. Here is a video of her. Is this normal?!

 

[The Chickeneer]

it's not normal.....maybe its a diet thing. Does she have grit? That could be the problem, if it is, then you could buy some at any feed store, it's a small bag but it lasts.

 

[LaynaDon95]

That isn't normal. :\ It sounds like a crop problem. How does her breath smell? Like The Chickeneer said, get her some grit and see if it helps. I have never had to use it, but I know not giving it can cause problems. Smell her breath, and at least 1 of her brothers/sisters breath and see how they compare.

 

[LaynaDon95]

It sounds like it may be sour crop, after reading, which is what I first though of. Like I said, compare her breath to her siblings'. Feel her crop. Does it feel watery, kind of like a water balloon? Is she pooping? I would isolate her to monitor how much she eats, drinks, and poops. If it is sour crop, she isn't contagious, but it is usually fatal if left untreated. The head bobbing could be her trying to dislodge the stuck food in her crop. Let me know when you have checked her out. I will try to help you find a diagnosis/treatment. Keep me posted.

 

[Rorie]

Thanks for the replies. I didnt think they needed grit for some time yet. I'll get straight on it though. We have some that came with the coop.

Is there any treatments we should buy just now so we can act quicly if we need to?

She has been doing it for a few days now. Often sits on her own away from the others.

 

[Danielmc]

I was out observing her for a bit this morning. Some things I noticed:

1 - She is eating and drinking and pooing. But almost immediately after she drank some water (only a couple sips), she started vomiting all over (which she then attempted to eat)
2 - Unlike the other chickens whose crops at this hour (9 am) don't seem very large, her crop is very easy to feel -- it feels like a big ball. It is very soft and "squishy" though.

I've put grit in, which they are all interested in at first, but none of them (incl this chicken) actually consumed any of it and they no longer seem to be interested in it (just now anyway - hopefully she will consume some!).

 

[Danielmc]

Posted this as a new thread but figured it is worth adding to it here as well.


So I have our sick chicken with apple cider vinegar in the water, and yogurt in the water. Not sure how much she is eating and drinking but I'm trying to force some into her with a syringe.

All the vets around here don't seem to have any anti-fungals at all. So I am wondering if there are any human ones I could pick up (in the uk) over the counter and administer to the chicken? The vet recommended against this as if we then eat her eggs we may develop a resistance to the medicine or something like that...

Also - before I separated her, several times she vomited and the other chickens helped themselves to it! Hopefully it'll be alright but I am giving them some yogurt and apple cider vinegar in their water as well to make sure.

Her crop still feels huge but I can't get her to vomit out any more no matter how much I massage.

Is there anything else I can do?

 

[RonC]

There are probably some posts on the emergency/disease section of the forums. Might try a search there for further treatments.

 

[LaynaDon95]

I was out observing her for a bit this morning. Some things I noticed:

1 - She is eating and drinking and pooing. But almost immediately after she drank some water (only a couple sips), she started vomiting all over (which she then attempted to eat)
2 - Unlike the other chickens whose crops at this hour (9 am) don't seem very large, her crop is very easy to feel -- it feels like a big ball. It is very soft and "squishy" though.

I've put grit in, which they are all interested in at first, but none of them (incl this chicken) actually consumed any of it and they no longer seem to be interested in it (just now anyway - hopefully she will consume some!).

That does sound like sour crop to me. Look at Emergencies/Diseases like RonC suggested. I don't have time to be on right now, but when I do I'll help do some research.