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

[chaniemitchie]

Hi all,

I recently "rescued" a little chick (Ricki) after he was abandoned by his family. I think he was probably a few days old when I got him, and I've had him for about 2 months.

At about 3 this afternoon he started making a strange gagging movement and hasn't eaten anything since then (about 6 hours ago), even though his crop is empty. He is also normally a very chatty chicken, and ever since this strange behaviour, has been almost dead quiet. When he first started gagging I felt his crop and it felt like there was something stuck in there (I thought maybe something he could've picked up inside the house), but when I felt it again now, the "something" was gone and his crop was empty.

I have never had a chicken before this, so might be over-reacting at somewhat "normal" behaviour, but I honestly don't know what to do and am stressing myself stupid. He is the only chicken I have and I've become seriously attached to him, and will be heart broken if anything happens to him.

Please, please give me some info on what this could be, or let me know if this is normal.

Thank you x

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi

Welcome To BYC

Is he still gagging or having any difficulty breathing?
What type of food/treats do you feed?
Do you offer poultry grit (crushed granite) free choice?
Have you looked inside his beak to see if anything is blocking the airway?

Keep watch on him, don't force foods on him at the moment, do make water available and watch to see if he drinks/eats. Chickens can make a neck movement to adjust their crops, but if he doesn't eat/drink in a while or becomes lethargic and you don't see anything obvious blocking his airways, then seeking vet care would be best.

 

[chaniemitchie]

Thank you. He was breathing fine, and before he went to sleep he ate some seeds (chicken food I got from the pet shop) and was drinking water. He goes crazy for tomato and rice, so I give him that? But he's always had those things and I've never noticed anything strange, which is why I was freaking out yesterday. This morning he seems to be fine again. I'm going to the pet shop to get grit and more worms today. If he doesn't eat the worms, I'll know something is wrong because this are his favourite treat.

With the grit, must I add his chicken food in with that, or offer them separately?

I'm at work all day today, so my mom is going to keep an eye on him. The earliest I can get him to a vet (if need be) is tomorrow because our normal vet around the corner is closed today. If the gagging starts again, but is breathing fine and drinking water, will he be okay until I can get him to a vet?

Thanks

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you. He was breathing fine, and before he went to sleep he ate some seeds (chicken food I got from the pet shop) and was drinking water. He goes crazy for tomato and rice, so I give him that? But he's always had those things and I've never noticed anything strange, which is why I was freaking out yesterday. This morning he seems to be fine again. I'm going to the pet shop to get grit and more worms today. If he doesn't eat the worms, I'll know something is wrong because this are his favourite treat.

With the grit, must I add his chicken food in with that, or offer them separately?

I'm at work all day today, so my mom is going to keep an eye on him. The earliest I can get him to a vet (if need be) is tomorrow because our normal vet around the corner is closed today. If the gagging starts again, but is breathing fine and drinking water, will he be okay until I can get him to a vet?

Thanks

Where are you located?

If the pet shop has chick starter that would be best. Regular "chicken feed" like layer feed has too much calcium for young chickens, so chick starter would be good.

Tomato and rice can make fine treats for a growing chick, but as you mentioned they do need to have poultry grit (crushed granite) in order to properly digest their foods. Offer the grit free choice, don't mix it with the feed - he will take what he needs.

Growing chicks need balanced nutrition - chick starter has all the essentials that he needs. If you don't have any, you can also offer him some chopped egg and put some poultry vitamins in his water to help boost protein and ensure that he is getting most of the nutrition he needs until you can find a source of proper chick feed.

Let us know how he's doing.

 

[chaniemitchie]

I live in Table View, Cape Town. I've got two different types of chicken food. I think it's called "chick chick" or something along those lines? I have chick 1 and 2 I think. 1 being tiny pieces of food, and 2 being the same food, but in bigger pieces.
I'm on my way home from work now, so I'll see him shortly. My mom said he has been chirping a little during the day and been outside stratching in the sand. He also ate a few worms and caught a fly. She got some grit today and gave him some, which he pecked at and ate a few tiny pieces.

What are the essentials​ that I should look for in the food?

A friend of mine works at one of the vets close to me and is very good with birds, so I'm going to take him to her and see what she says.

I will keep you updated.
Thank you so much for the info and help xx

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I live in Table View, Cape Town. I've got two different types of chicken food. I think it's called "chick chick" or something along those lines? I have chick 1 and 2 I think. 1 being tiny pieces of food, and 2 being the same food, but in bigger pieces.
I'm on my way home from work now, so I'll see him shortly. My mom said he has been chirping a little during the day and been outside stratching in the sand. He also ate a few worms and caught a fly. She got some grit today and gave him some, which he pecked at and ate a few tiny pieces.

What are the essentials that I should look for in the food?

A friend of mine works at one of the vets close to me and is very good with birds, so I'm going to take him to her and see what she says.

I will keep you updated.
Thank you so much for the info and help xx

If I found the correct product, it looks like what you are feeding should be nutritionally balanced for him, so you are good on that

He may have been having trouble digesting without grit, so hopefully that will solve the problem for you.

Keep us posted.

 

[chaniemitchie]

Thank you so much. Taking him through to my friend soon. Will give an update later

 

[Yaakov653]

Has he been gapping, it could be gapeworm. A worm parasite that is in the crop and trachea of gallinaceous birds

 

[chaniemitchie]

No, he hasn't been gapping.

I just got back from the vet, and they checked inside his beak to see if there was a visible blockage, which thankfully there isn't. The lady said his air way is clear and he doesn't "look" sick. He doesn't look or seem stressed out or anything. But the vet gave me an antibiotic to give him twice a day, just incase there's some kind of infection.

He just ate some worms very happily, so hopefully this medicine will help him and he'll be back to normal soon.

Thank you all very very much for the help x

 

[Wyorp Rock]

No, he hasn't been gapping.

I just got back from the vet, and they checked inside his beak to see if there was a visible blockage, which thankfully there isn't. The lady said his air way is clear and he doesn't "look" sick. He doesn't look or seem stressed out or anything. But the vet gave me an antibiotic to give him twice a day, just incase there's some kind of infection.

He just ate some worms very happily, so hopefully this medicine will help him and he'll be back to normal soon.

Thank you all very very much for the help x

Glad to hear he seems to be doing ok!

Keep us posted.