Young Hen and Her Bizarre Noise

[lazypifarm]

Hi everyone,

I have a 5 month old Jersey Giant hen who has been making the strangest noise for the past several weeks. I felt along her throat, and it felt like she might have something caught in there, but I don't want to hurt her. What do you think? Sorry I couldn't get a video to load, I just have to put a link. It's on my farm's Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10202550283859276

 

[foreverlearning]

A few drops of oil in the mouth should help if it is something stuck. I prefer olive or coconut oils as they tend to last longer without getting sticky. It almost looks like she is sneezing. I had a Jersey Giant do that noise when the coop was dusty (replacing sand bedding), have you ruled out dust as the cause? Do a preventive check and make sure there isn't any spots in the mouth or on the comb and waddle. If there aren't any spots or other signs of illness, I would try the oil and see if it helps. The oil helps with both the dryness from a dusty area and with something stuck.

The only other thing I could think of is hook worms. They are not that common and the girl usually stretches the beak open as if to breath but doesn't and then makes a noise.

Let us know anything else that you notice. Good luck!

 

[azygous]

Do you have one of those plastic syringes? The kind you put a liquid in and there's a plunger that you push and the liquid squirts out?

If you don't have one, use a turkey baster. Fill either of those with some olive oil, vegetable oil if you don't have olive oil. Then get someone to hold the hen's beak just open enough to get the tip of the syringe into her mouth. Squirt.

I use maybe two tablespoons total of olive oil and repeat to make sure it all gets in. Then massage her crop, beginning right at the top of her throat, with downward motion, for a about a minute.

She should be cured.

 

[lazypifarm]

Thanks guys, I will give the olive oil a try! Their coop is fairly clean, and they spend most of their time free ranging in the pasture anyway. She didn't appear to have any signs of illness, no spots or anything, and other than that she acts normal. Hope it works!