[hillfooter]

I must admit I'd never really thought about chickens vomiting until I picked up one of mine yesterday and she was promptly sick all down me.  It went everywhere when she shook her head!
This is one of the ex-bats that we have been sure many times would die but each time she seems to perk up and battle through.  A few months ago we noticed her comb was very pale, almost white so I took her to the vets.  A few days of antibiotics and being fed her favourite treats away from the others and she was back to a healthy red and running around like the rest of them.  However, last week I noticed that she wasn't eating much so brought her in to see if I could tempt her to eat.  Her crop was barely noticeable it was so empty.  She wolfed down some bread, sweetcorn, strawberries and anything else soft but wouldn't touch any food or wheat although did try a few sunflower seeds.  I gave her a bit of olive oil to see if it would help and she seemed to really enjoy that.  I've been bringing her in every day and each day her crop has felt empty and each day she has enjoyed some treats then gone happily around the garden again.  Yesterday I picked her up and was surprised her crop was huge, about the size of my fist but it felt like a water balloon.  I brought her in the house but she wouldn't eat a thing and as I went to take her outside I noticed some straw coloured liquid coming from her mouth.  She seemed to be struggling to breath then all of a sudden she shook her head and a load of what was essentially water and semi rotted grass came flying out and covered me, all down my jeans and even in my hair!!!
I decided to spend some time massaging her crop and by tipping her up managed to get some more liquid out, including the odd sunflower seed and some more grass.  She really looked like she was going to die but did perk up as soon as I put her on the floor.  She then ran to join the others but spent the rest of the day looking like death, but running for her life everytime I got near.  This morning I was surprised to see her making her way round the garden with the other girls eating yet more grass and wolfing up a strawberry I threw her.  She is just skin and bones but seems perfectly happy although I'm pretty sure she's not eating any food, just grazing for soft stuff.  Perhaps I will get some mash for her and see if she will eat that.
As for the jeans, I think I might have to hose them down before I put them in the machine!!!

This condition is known as sour crop and by chance you seem to have done the right thing.  Holding them upside down and gentlly squeezing the crop will help to evacuate the crop.

In future DON'T give her bread or grass cuttings (if indeed you do this).  Cut grass ferments quickly and can cause this condition and bread will swell up in her crop too.  Give greens she needs to peck which will ensure there's no longt stringy bits.  Give her plenty of clean cool water to drink and don't overdo the treat feeds.  Keep feed normal layers pellets (don't change it) with a handful of corn in the evening only.  Ensure she has access to insoluable grit and she should be OK.

Best of luck

HF

[pigeonpie]

I never give them grass clippings, they have about an acre of garden with plenty of grass and greens to munch on.  The only reason I gave her a little bread was to see if she would eat anything as she was looking so weak and with nothing in her crop.  I decided to soak some pellets today as her crop was once again empty and she wolfed some up yet as soon as she is offered anything hard again she won't eat.  There is crushed oyster shell at various places throughout the garden and poultry grit in their run.  She really is just skin and bones.  They've all been wormed recently and when I took her to the vets a few months ago he said that this is just sometimes what happens with ex-bats.  He also said that she felt a little swollen around her gizzard so we wonder if she might have a problem and that is why she isn't eating anything hard that would need processing.  She seems a lot perkier today though, took me an age to catch her!

[redmolly]

I have a little Rhode Star "Molly". I know what you mean about the vomit!! She has done it for a year!! It always seems to be when she has been pigging out and you can watch her stuffing herself senseless until she can't eat anymore!! Very greedy girl!! After which here comes the "vomit", well clear water anyway! She is fit and healthy in every way. I have to say, I was really alarmed the first few times and once a bit miffed when she did it on me, but I guess I have since got used to it now!!