Please tell me this isn't serious.

[Q9]

Went out to take care of the hens this morning, and I tossed them a piece of bread to distract them while I refilled their food. I do that every time. After filling their food, I went around to watch them bicker and noticed that one of them just sorta stood there with her mouth open. Didn't think much about it, and caught a convenient bug for them to eat. Put it in there - the chicken was laying down, mouth still open, and she ignored the bug. She seemed to be breathing heavily, and kept squinting her eyes like she was in pain.

Any idea if this is a problem or not? Because I would like to know as quickly as possible.

 

[write2caroline]

I would bring her over and give her some olive oil. Could she have bread stuck in her gullet?
Not normal
Caroline

 

[rancher hicks]

Have you wormed your birds yet. It's been so wet here I had to do it and have to do it more often. Could be gape worm but not sure of course. Anyhow you gotta be prepared and treat them anyhow. Can't hurt and might help.

An ounce of prevention and all that jazz.

Let us know how it goes.


Rancher

 

[axion_lotus]

Has she had her mouth open a lot lately? It could be gapeworms, but I don't know if that would explain the lying down or the pain.

Sorry if I'm wrong, I'm still a fledgeling flock owner myself.

 

[Q9]

This is the first time she's had her mouth hanging open like this, with the exception of high summer, when they ALL start panting.

Write2caroline - how would olive oil help? And how would I give it to her?

 

[BookWorm243]

I am not sure but the olive oil should help pass the bread down. She sounds like she has some bread stuck.

 

[Q9]

I think the bread hypothesis may be correct - her wattles and the red on her face have turned pale. Could stuck bread cut off blood circulation to any degree?

 

[Q9]

Okay, looks like the olive oil helped. We put her back in the coop, and she stood up and started drinking from the water bottle. I'm going to go check on her again in a few minutes.

Thanks for the help, y'all!

 

[Q9]

Well, she did the mouth-hanging open thing again for a second and stopped, but now she's just standing there looking traumatized.

 

[Q9]

Well, her mouth is still gaping. About how long should it take her to finally get the bread down?