[Vi]

Hi there,

Have you ever seen a chicken eat so quickly that they nearly choke on the grain?  I've seen this for the first time yesterday.

Firstly, the chooks aren't underfed in any way and they have access to food all the time plus they've got nearly 1 1/2 acres of lawn, leaf litter and mulch to free range.

Yesterday I was near the garden shed where we keep the chook food and for whatever reason if I give them some layers mash in a cup while i'm there they think this is a huge treat, same food as in their food dishes...   Anyway, as i was encouraging Goose to eat some grain, Duck came storming over, body checked Goose out of the way and dived head long into the grain nearly burying her face in it. 

She took two great big mouthfulls and stopped, opened her beak went pale, her tail dropped and she moved her crop from side to side all while making odd gaspy noises, her mouth was still full of grain.  I think she'd asperated some grain!   now i know some techniques for clearing airways in people but have no idea what to do with a chicken.  Luckily, she worked it out, and was able to breath again but not for long, as she dived in again and repeated the whole thing.  by this time i'd gotten a different cup (shallower grain) and held it for her and let the other two peck at the original cup. 

What a greedy chicken!!!!  Have any of you seen this? 

Duck is our biggest chicken by half (since Goose has been sick) and how she's top hen. She's certainly not underfed.

vi

[IMOmimey]

try scattering their food, so they have to scratch around for it. It helps with this problem, and keeps them happily busy so they don't get bored.