PLEASE HELP! possible aspiration, hen making constant drinking water motion.

[Hensii]

I gave my blind 7yo hen water tonight and she drank (water is cold) and started making the drinking water motions with her tongue moving for the past 10mins even tho theres no water. She sneezed and shook her head once too. Please help whats happening??

 

[Debbie292d]

Hi,

It sounds like she might have gotten something stuck in her mouth and sneezing and could also explain that. Usually, chickens aren't bothered by a cat or dog hair, but perhaps something larger than that.

Has she stopped now?

If she hasn't, she might be coming down with a respiratory or sinus infection. I'd put her on vitamin water every other day for a couple of weeks. If in a day or two she's taking a turn for the worse, she'd need an antibiotic.

 

[Hensii]

Hi,

It sounds like she might have gotten something stuck in her mouth and sneezing and could also explain that. Usually, chickens aren't bothered by a cat or dog hair, but perhaps something larger than that.

Has she stopped now?

If she hasn't, she might be coming down with a respiratory or sinus infection. I'd put her on vitamin water every other day for a couple of weeks. If in a day or two she's taking a turn for the worse, she'd need an antibiotic.

Thanks for replying!

She briefly stopped at night after i removed her feed and was very puffed up/cold. She kept preening a lot too. She resumed the drinking motion ever since she took a bit of food and water today morning. Her eyes do seem a bit watery and one of them bit swollen (it was more at night) but that happens sometimes and i assumed it was because she's blind.

https://www.reddit.com/r/BackYardChickens/comments/1pq2roz/is_this_aspiration

Her yesterday

 

[Debbie292d]

Initially, I thought something stuck in her throat and she'd have most likely cleared that by now. Adding the swollen eye to that, she might have an infection causing mucous in her throat.

You said her eye has swollen up before. Just one eye? Is this just one eye too? Was there an injury that caused her blindness or just she became blind as she aged?

I see you are not in the USA. Is there a broad-spectrum type of antibiotic you can get for her? If you can get one and need dosages, we can try to help with that.

 

[Hensii]

Initially, I thought something stuck in her throat and she'd have most likely cleared that by now. Adding the swollen eye to that, she might have an infection causing mucous in her throat.

You said her eye has swollen up before. Just one eye? Is this just one eye too? Was there an injury that caused her blindness or just she became blind as she aged?

I see you are not in the USA. Is there a broad-spectrum type of antibiotic you can get for her? If you can get one and need dosages, we can try to help with that.

Shes doing a lot better, eating and drinking but still doing that motion now and then. Also constantly preening? I feel it could also be because her beak isn't properly trimmed.

And yes only the one eye is mildly swollen and thats frequent. She's been blind since birth.

But yeah if she's worse in the morning ill get her antibiotics from the vet.

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[Debbie292d]

Shes doing a lot better, eating and drinking but still doing that motion now and then. Also constantly preening? I feel it could also be because her beak isn't properly trimmed.

And yes only the one eye is mildly swollen and thats frequent. She's been blind since birth.

But yeah if she's worse in the morning ill get her antibiotics from the vet.

Thanks again for all your help!

You're very welcome and hope she feels better soon! Since she's preening herself, and eating/drinking, those are good signs!

We use a fingernail dremmel for our crossbeak. I noticed yours has a bit long of a top beak and just taking a little off might help.