[SuzyandtheBs]

Hi Guys, have just spent half the night trawling through the internet and this forum and have not come across anything like this, so though I'd ask for help.

Earlier my mother in law called very worried about one of her ex bats, which she has had for a month or so. She had found one of the chooks in the bottom of the hen house unwilling to move, listless then her head dropped and she was unable to support it.  When she picked the chicken up a discharge came out of it's mouth, started clear then turned white frothy, no smell and continuous.  Whilst I was on the phone, she had a flap and died. All in all it happened very quickly, I know that chickens hide illnesses but she appeared well when let out in the morning.  quick run down

* comb - normal
*temp - normal
*no wheezing or laboured breathing
*droppings normal
*Crop slighty "pudgy" feeling to it, but no smell.
* vent clean and clear
*nasal and eye area clean clear no discharge

When I went to visit I noticed one other chicken "not right" sleepin, lethargic but otherwise fine, I did recomend that she keeps a close eye on them all and take immediately to vet if any show any other symptoms/signs
Any advice or info would be very gratefully recieved.

[Jeanette]

Ex bats can go down very fast. If there was no smell then i would rule out sour crop. When you mentioned that her crop was pudgy forgive my ignorance but do you mean that it was hard as that could be an infected crop.
I am so sorry that she has died but for the time that you mother in law had her she learnt to do what chickens do and she was loved, and felt the sun on her back which she would not have do otherwise. I have ex bats and love them dearly but they have had a very hard life and some do not get over it.
If the other chickens seem to be gowing downhill i would take them to a vets as soon as possible.

[SuzyandtheBs]

Thanks for your time in replying, sorry by "pudgy" I mean felt like a  bag full of Jelly, the mother in law thinks she could feel a small hard object but was not sure.   
and Thank you for the kind words