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
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.
