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Hen gasping and coughing (choking) for 2 days now

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post #1 of 6

8/25/08 at 6:33pm

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blurose

Location: Tenmile, Oregon
Joined: 5/2008
Posts: 176
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I have a hen that has been gasping for air and coughing for at least 2 days now. She acts like she has something stuck in her throat not sick. She drinks but I haven't seen her eat. This happened after my SIL served up a huge hissing beetle to the girls the other day. Also, there are feathers from all the birds everywhere and I thought she might have swallowed a feather and gotten it stuck somehow in her throat. Is there anything I can do for her short of taking her to a vet? Should I just wait to see if she passes whatever it is? Maybe give her some mineral oil?

I've taken the mounds of manure heaped on me throughout my life and with it created beautiful, sweet-smelling blooms and, of course, a few wickedly dangerous thorns.

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post #2 of 6

8/25/08 at 7:17pm

lilchick

Location: Williamsport In.
Joined: 5/2008
Posts: 1,288
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Check her throat and the opening of windpipe. It may be a yellow cheesy junk that they can get.
Serious stuff and she can suffocate... If she has it I would use tweezers and remove it... Remember it is contagious so keep her by herself. good luck....

No matter how much we push the envelope it is still stationary......

post #3 of 6

2/14/12 at 5:11pm

SQContrary

Location: Oklahoma County
Joined: 8/2010
Posts: 24
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I am having the same sort of problem.... have my hen in the living room. LOL she seems irritated at being cooped up in a small pet crate. She doesn't seem like she feels bad... but she periodically makes a horrible coughing or choking sound.. gurgling? It is really sort of weird and gravelly. Listening to her chest I can't hear anything. Hmmmm. Sometime it sounds like she is snoring. She IS eatting and drinking. Her craw seems fine... it sounds like it is in her head but I can't see any sign of mucus. Trying to hold her and look in her mouth... she definitely feels fiesty and is not cooperating. I am afraid to put her back with the other gals in case she really is sick. This is our first sick chicken! (If she is even sick!) I have been giving her buttermilk... garlic and garlic tea... coconut oil... andything I can think of that sounds healthy. She keeps dumping it out and trashing the place. She just wants to go back outside!

Any help/suggestions would be appreciated.

post #4 of 6

2/14/12 at 7:02pm

JakRat

Location: Dover
Joined: 4/2009
Posts: 1,327
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I have 3 girls that are acting weird right now. 2 have runny noses, 1 of which also makes a weird mucus sound ( but when I bring her in the house she stops), 1 is making that weird sound that you describe, not sure if it is just her burping??, and then her and another girl look like they might be choking sometimes... not all the time, just randomly.

So confused and worried.

My life is a wonderful zoo! 1 Jack Russel TONY, 1 Rat Terrier BRIDGET, 1 Porcelain D'uccle (Victor), 2 Easter eggers (Clara and Loraine), 2 evil barred rocks and 2 two month old Speckled Sussex hens (Kate and Pippa).

post #5 of 6

2/14/12 at 7:54pm

SQContrary

Location: Oklahoma County
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=( My hen is snoring peacefully... and periodically coughing/choking .. and then quiet as a mouse for a while. =(

Worried with ya!

post #6 of 6

2/15/12 at 1:15pm

JakRat

Location: Dover
Joined: 4/2009
Posts: 1,327
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I think mine may be a respiratory thing. No red worms on the qtip. All are eating and drinking fine. No eggs today but hopefully the duramycin will help.