Just lost one of my leghorns. Second hen lost in about a month. I brought her in to clean her bottom that had poop stuck on it. i let her soak in the tub for a bit, but before i did when i picked her up some liquid came out of her mouth just figured she drank a lot and was water logged. didn't notice any smell. She got her bath, blew her dry and put her to bed in a crate in the bedroom. a couple hours later i heard what sounded like some flapping around. Thinking she was trying to get out of the crate i went to check on her and she was dead. there was some liquid in her beak wondering if maybe she choked/drowned. Huh! i feel like i am doing something wrong with raising my girls even tho i have been told by others that they will just die or can flap around and his their heads and break their necks. just hoping nothing else is going on and eventually ends up taking my whole flock.
So sorry for you..the flapping you heard was her convulsing. They do that just before they die. I can't explain the water coming out from her mouth though. sorry I cant be of more help.
So sorry for your loss! I'm not sure what the water is, but I've noticed that with chicks (usually broilers) that we've had die before. It may just be saliva. Was the hen acting sick other than just having dirty vent feathers?
may have been an impacted crop. I have seen this with one of my hens. If the crop in blocked the water can not pass and when they bend over to feed the water comes out. Next time try to massage the crop to move the stuff around a bit. You can give them apple cider vineagr to help dissolve the junk too, may help
Simz: No she did not act sick. Just the gunky butt feathers. She really did enjoy her bath though. Tammye: I didn't even think about a block crop. Hopefully I will remember that when i see it again. Sometimes when i am outside in the pen a couple of my ladies when they bend over to eat will have the liquid come out of their mouths. Thanks for the reminder.
