Is she choking ??? Help

MaeM

Songster
Dec 9, 2020
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My hen... I don't know if she ate something that she shouldn't but she started gasping for air and hid in this bush. She kinda sneezes every now and then...but she makes sounds when she breathes/has breathing difficulties as she raises up her head to breathe...

What can I do? I don't have a vet available right now


IMG-20220627-WA0001.jpeg
 
So, first course of action, we need to get her to a position where we can better examine her. Having multiple people around to try to herd her out of there will probably help.

Once you have done this, I would inspect her crop to see if that is very hard. My early prediction is that she may have an impacted crop, but we would need more information to make this determination.
 
So, first course of action, we need to get her to a position where we can better examine her. Having multiple people around to try to herd her out of there will probably help.

Once you have done this, I would inspect her crop to see if that is very hard. My early prediction is that she may have an impacted crop, but we would need more information to make this determination.

Her crop feels soft when I touch it. Her throat looks clear

But she keeps breathing like this, sneezing violently, and putting her tail down
 
What is the temp? With that saddle on, if it is very hot she may be having heatstroke.

It's actually cold in here! About 9 Celsius

She had heat stress in the summer but she didn't do these sounds. Sounds like a whistle and she stretches her neck a lot
 
It's actually cold in here! About 9 Celsius

She had heat stress in the summer but she didn't do these sounds. Sounds like a whistle and she stretches her neck a lot
Ok. When you say her crop is soft, is that the normal mailable soft or full squishy like a balloon? Get a flashlight, open her mouth and look down her throat for worms or lesions. This is easiest when wrapped in a towel.
 
Ok. When you say her crop is soft, is that the normal mailable soft or full squishy like a balloon? Get a flashlight, open her mouth and look down her throat for worms or lesions. This is easiest when wrapped in a towel.

Mailable. Feels like an empty crop - she was trying to eat when this started to happen

I looked at her throat with my phone's flashlight and I can't see anything weird - honestly I think she might have eaten too rapidly or something that she shouldn't but I don't know why she doesn't stop.

I mean I've seen chickens choking but these symptoms didn't last too long
 
My hen... I don't know if she ate something that she shouldn't but she started gasping for air and hid in this bush. She kinda sneezes every now and then...but she makes sounds when she breathes/has breathing difficulties as she raises up her head to breathe...

What can I do? I don't have a vet available right now
Is the saddle to tight? A saddle that is too tight could strangle a bird.
 
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Is the saddle to tight? I read a saddle that is too tight could strangle a bird.
This is a good point about the saddle. I would also question how the saddle is attached. Sometimes raising the head can be adjusting the crop, so if the saddle is interfering with the crops ability to move, this could be causing some distress.
 

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