Non emergent: hen vomited

[Sassysouth]

My 18 month old Red Production hen was roosting around sundown and she vomited/refluxed yellow liquid. I have not noticed this before. She has been laying eggs normally and seems to feel fine. Her crop felt empty, as best I could tell.

Anything else I should do other than watch her?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Sometimes they do that because they drank too much, other times it's because of a problem, so you will have to wait and see. Giving her crop a gentle massage can sometimes help.

 

[sbhkma]

If it was roosting time and her crop was empty I'd be concerned she's not eating. Have you seen her eat? When they put up for the night their crops are full. Morning time they should be empty.

 

[Kiki]

If it was roosting time and her crop was empty I'd be concerned she's not eating. Have you seen her eat? When they put up for the night their crops are full. Morning time they should be empty.

I agree.

 

[Sassysouth]

I don't know about her layer food, but she did get out of her coop/run today and ate bugs, etc.

2 weeks ago I re-homed 3 coopmates for severly picking on her.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Watch to see that she is eating/drinking well during the day. Check the crop again when she goes to roost, it should be full. Check it again the next morning before she has had anything to eat/drink - it should be empty/flat. If it's still full or partially full in the morning, then you need to determine what type of crop issue she is having (sour crop, impacted crop, slow, etc.).http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

If she is going to roost with an empty crop, then you need to check her over for any other issues she may have - getting tested for worms or coccidiosis overload would be a good idea. Look for any lice/mites too. Also if she is not laying eggs or is having trouble laying eggs, then that would need to be investigated further.

You mention you re-homed 3flockmates because she was being picked on. Were these birds that she "grew up with" or were they new additions to your flock. Sometimes if a bird is suddenly being severely picked on by longtime residents, this can be a good indicator there is something "off" or the bird is unwell.

 

[Sassysouth]

The hens had all been together since day 1 and never had issues. All of a sudden the 3 were out to get her. Her comb was bloodied and I could see it in their eyes they would kill her. That might be dramatic, but it was disturbing. And she was scared to death.
There may be something wrong, but until the vomiting episode tonight, I have seen no visible signs. She lays well, drinks well. I just did a through cleaning on the coop and run last week and saw no mites, poop looks normal.

I will reevaluate her in the morning. She was roosting looking out the window last I checked.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Please keep us posted.

 

[Sassysouth]

She seemed to be doing fine this morning. I will have more time to spend with her later.
I have 11, 3 day old chicks in a confined place in the coop with her. If she has something contagious, I am worried about them. Although, I don't see anything obviously wrong. It does concern me that something could be wrong since she was so aggressively picked on.
I will update this evening.

 

[sbhkma]

In my experience, a hen that's been getting along fine in the flock and is suddenly being picked on is ill. The flock knows way before the hen is sick enough for humans to notice. (they hide it well). Keep a close eye on her, check her crop, make sure she's eating and drinking, check for mites. Have they been dewormed at all? How does her comb and wattles look? Her poops look normal?