screaming or gagging chicken?

[proudchickenmom]

my 6 month old gold laced wyandotte hen has recently been making a sort of screaming noise whenever she eats. she stretches her neck forward and opens her beak wide than screams. i looked into her throat but couldn't see anything obstructing her trachea. she otherwise seems fine. she has never been sick before. we got her as a chick a T.S.C . it sounds like a sort of ARAHHH!!! we feed her Purina layer crumbles and sometimes a little corn. she has no other symptoms. does anyone have any idea to what it could be? thank you!

 

[IsabelleButterscotch]

I had a hen with the exact same problem, but I wasn't able to find anything. She did that for a few weeks until one night she dropped dead. Seperate her because it could be contagious. It's probably throat swelling since it happens when she eats. She makes that sound because she's trying to "clear" it. If you want to, take her to the vet. You can try electrolytes and natural remedies but unfortunately those didn't work for my chicken. Sorry I couldnt help much

 

[Farmgirl1878]

What’s your feeding set up like? Do you feed the crumbles in a bowl, out of a feeder, on the ground? Does she do it every time she eats? It could be she’s eating too fast and the crumbles are getting caught on the way down. Try adding some water to the feed to make a wet mash and see if she still does it. Depending on the weather, the mash can stay out all day. My girls seem to think that’s a special treat!

 

[proudchickenmom]

I had a hen with the exact same problem, but I wasn't able to find anything. She did that for a few weeks until one night she dropped dead. Seperate her because it could be contagious. It's probably throat swelling since it happens when she eats. She makes that sound because she's trying to "clear" it. If you want to, take her to the vet. You can try electrolytes and natural remedies but unfortunately those didn't work for my chicken. Sorry I couldnt help much

oh dear... i am not going to take her to the vet because it would be cheaper to buy another chicken than to get her checked up. i am sorry about your chicken and i really hope that it is not the same case with mine. could i give her electrolytes through Gatorade?

 

[proudchickenmom]

What’s your feeding set up like? Do you feed the crumbles in a bowl, out of a feeder, on the ground? Does she do it every time she eats? It could be she’s eating too fast and the crumbles are getting caught on the way down. Try adding some water to the feed to make a wet mash and see if she still does it. Depending on the weather, the mash can stay out all day. My girls seem to think that’s a special treat!

my food is in a hanging feeder suspended from the roof. it is not only when she eats but she screams most after eating something like whole corn. is it alright is i give my chickens whole non crushed dry corn?

 

[IsabelleButterscotch]

oh dear... i am not going to take her to the vet because it would be cheaper to buy another chicken than to get her checked up. i am sorry about your chicken and i really hope that it is not the same case with mine. could i give her electrolytes through Gatorade?

I understand, and thank you. You could try it, I'm sure it wouldn't hurt her. We used a chicken electrolyte powder from tractor supply.

 

[Farmgirl1878]

my food is in a hanging feeder suspended from the roof. it is not only when she eats but she screams most after eating something like whole corn. is it alright is i give my chickens whole non crushed dry corn?

My girls get cracked corn as a treat. I’m not sure about the whole corn kernels - unless they’re soft, canned corn. Theoretically, they should be able to process the whole kernel, hard corn, but maybe she has a hard time with that. It could be that the whole corn kernels are too big for her throat so her throat gets irritated. I’d lay off the corn for a while and see what happens.