My chicken is gagging and isn't eating. Please help.

[chaniemitchie]

Update on Ricki:

1. According to pictures on google, Ricki is a Black Copper Maran, and he is actually a she! Great news for me as it's illegal to keep a rooster in a residential area, but hens are fine.

2. Ricki seems better today. A lot more chatty and more herself again. This morning I took her to her chicken food but she wanted nothing to do with it, so I gave her some brown rice, a piece of tomato and a few worms, which she snacked on. She's also been drinking water throughout the day. As I said before, when she first started acting strange, I felt her crop and it felt like there was something solid inside it. I felt it again later that day and it was gone, so I thought it was probably nothing. I was just outside with her in the garden when she pooped on the bricks, and I noticed something strange in the poop. I used a stick to move the strange thing out, and saw that it was a piece from one of my plastic clothes pegs that she must have picked up outside.

Do you think that she might have just scratched her throat when she swallowed it, which is making it uncomfortable to swallow other hard things (like the corn and seeds in the chicken food)? I didn't see any blood or anything in the poop, making me think there isn't any internal damage.

Hopefully that was the issue and she'll start eating normally soon. I'm going to keep her normal chicken food out for her obviously, but I'm going to offer her more rice, egg and softer foods just so she's actually eating, just in case her little throat is scratched. What are good softer foods for her while she's ignoring her chicken food?

Thank you so much for the help x

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Update on Ricki:

1. According to pictures on google, Ricki is a Black Copper Maran, and he is actually a she! Great news for me as it's illegal to keep a rooster in a residential area, but hens are fine.

2. Ricki seems better today. A lot more chatty and more herself again. This morning I took her to her chicken food but she wanted nothing to do with it, so I gave her some brown rice, a piece of tomato and a few worms, which she snacked on. She's also been drinking water throughout the day. As I said before, when she first started acting strange, I felt her crop and it felt like there was something solid inside it. I felt it again later that day and it was gone, so I thought it was probably nothing. I was just outside with her in the garden when she pooped on the bricks, and I noticed something strange in the poop. I used a stick to move the strange thing out, and saw that it was a piece from one of my plastic clothes pegs that she must have picked up outside.

Do you think that she might have just scratched her throat when she swallowed it, which is making it uncomfortable to swallow other hard things (like the corn and seeds in the chicken food)? I didn't see any blood or anything in the poop, making me think there isn't any internal damage.

Hopefully that was the issue and she'll start eating normally soon. I'm going to keep her normal chicken food out for her obviously, but I'm going to offer her more rice, egg and softer foods just so she's actually eating, just in case her little throat is scratched. What are good softer foods for her while she's ignoring her chicken food?

Thank you so much for the help x

If your chick starter is finely ground, you can try soaking it a bit to make it easier to eat. Egg, rice, fish or meat can be given as well. She may like the taste of these foods more than the chick starter as well. Give her a few days then see if she will eat her normal food.

I'm glad that she is a she! Black Copper Marans are beautiful birds and good egg layers, I hope she continues to improve

 

[chaniemitchie]

Ricki is completely back to her normal self! I soaked some of her chicken food for a while before I gave it to her, and she loved it. I'll leave her normal food out for her as usual, and just put the soaked food out as well, until I see she's eating the dry food.

She is indeed very beautiful and full of personality. Her new favourite thing to do is chase flies around the house. Always keeping me entertained!

Thank you very much for all the help and tips. I really appreciate it x

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ricki is completely back to her normal self! I soaked some of her chicken food for a while before I gave it to her, and she loved it. I'll leave her normal food out for her as usual, and just put the soaked food out as well, until I see she's eating the dry food.

She is indeed very beautiful and full of personality. Her new favourite thing to do is chase flies around the house. Always keeping me entertained!

Thank you very much for all the help and tips. I really appreciate it x

I'm so glad to hear she is doing well! Thanks for the update