The Poultry Keeper

Dorset Poultry · Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 4:47 pm Post subject: squeaking chicken

one of my freebie warrens has started to make the most peculiar squeaking sound, like she's swallowed a dog's toy or something. she will stand still lift her Head and open her mouth to cough but squeak instead. any ideas??? no one else is displaying these symptoms, although a couple of the hens have passed away over the last few months (they were egg bound but ex-battery hens and about 4 years old). they are all fed straight wheat and some pellets, no mash so its not that. They have 24 hour access to water and were worm with flubenevet about a month ago. its quite a mystery to me . .

1 Chicken Smuggler · Joined: 11 Dec 2005 Posts: 178

Look down the throat see if you can see anything abnormal and let me know.Are there any other symptoms?

Issy · Joined: 22 Nov 2005 Posts: 371 Location: somerset

Mine have sounded like that a couple of times when they have corn stuck in their throats. After a while they seem to clear it - i haven't ever had one do it for a long time though so I don't know how to clear it. Hope she gets better soon

Dorset Poultry · Posted: Wed Jan 18, 2006 10:02 pm Post subject:

throat is quite normal, looks as though shes got hiccups which is why i said she didn't have access to mash. Comb colour normal, no feather loss, no swelling. Hasn't laid a blinking egg for well over 4 months - shes one of my golden oldies. She seems quite happy escaping over the fences and making a mess on the muckheap Confused

fenwoman · Posted: Thu Jan 19, 2006 1:52 pm Post subject:

Smell her beak. Has it a nasty smell? Could be mycoplasma. LIsten to her chest. Is it rattling or sounding bronchial?

1 Chicken Smuggler · Joined: 11 Dec 2005 Posts: 178

What does her chest look like--is it normal or does it have a hard lump?

Dorset Poultry · Posted: Sat Jan 21, 2006 2:08 pm Post subject:

completely normal healthy chicken that's got hiccups!!! i think next time the vet comes out to give the horses their flu jab i will get him to take a look at her.

AngieC · Joined: 25 Jan 2006 Posts: 71 Location: Dorset

She's not trying to crow, is she? Next door's little mis-shapen Pekin "crows" away beside her Light Sussex "brother" and it's the squeakiest little sound I've ever heard! Bless... And our Araucana "crows" when she thinks Little John isn't impressive enough, and that comes out as a "squark".