silkie hen has odd arching neck and some panting?....

[dathy]

today i went to let my chickens out of the run and my 1 yr old silkie hen would eat then suddenly arch her neck straight up and then forward in a position i have never seen and then leave her mouth gaping open.
is she just really full, or dehydrated?
any ideas of what this is would be appreciated

 

[Eggcessive]

She might be adjusting her crop, or have an impacted crop. Chickens frequently "gape" when they are hot, but doing it all the time is not normal. There is a worm called gapeworm that is kind of rare. Check her crop to see if it is full--if it is wait till morning and check to see that is it empty. An impacted crop would still be full.