Please help me. Breathing Issue in broody hen now off nest. Ideas?

[RcoM]

Please help me. This morning my broody hen (3 days in) is off the nest and gasping as if it get something down. It sounds like something stuck in her respiratory tract... I saw her out so walked down to offer a little food. She was fully entranced yesterday and didn't feel like eating or drinking. Today it looks like she swallowed something wrong? Has a breathing or crop issue? Virus? I have no idea what's going on. I am concerned to help her. She is making strange squeaking noises and trying to squawk occasionally. Maybe to bring something up (via cough) or get it down?

 

[sourland]

Have you looked in her mouth or palpated her neck to see if you can see or feel anything?

 

[Eggcessive]

Have a look into her beak and throat with a flashlight while someone holds her. Look for any yellow or other gunk, mucus, foreign body. If you can get a video of her and upload it to YouTube with a link posted here, that could help.

 

[Eggcessive]

Listen to this video of a silkie with stridor, and tell us if that is what you are hearing:

 

[RcoM]

Yes. It feel

Have you looked in her mouth or palpated her neck to see if you can see or feel anything?

s like a rock down the breathing tube- halfway. She squawks in pain if I touch it

 

[RcoM]

I tried turning her upside down and a few hard back pats. But I was worried about her dying if shock. Still gasping. Maybe helped a little. Can’t see this improving without surgery?

 

[RcoM]

Listen to this video of a silkie with stridor, and tell us if that is what you are hearing:

No. Not at all.

 

[Eggcessive]

I tried turning her upside down and a few hard back pats. But I was worried about her dying if shock. Still gasping. Maybe helped a little. Can’t see this improving without surgery?

It is dangerous to turn a chicken upside down. They can have crop contents come back up into the airway and choke to death. Did you look into her beak and throat with a light? Was there any mucus, yellow or pale material. Look for any other symptoms that could be a respiratory infection/disease. Those can include head shaking, gasping or gaping, crackles when breathing, nasal drainage, swollen eyelid or face, or bubbles/foam in one eye.

 

[RcoM]

It is dangerous to turn a chicken upside down. They can have crop contents come back up into the airway and choke to death. Did you look into her beak and throat with a light? Was there any mucus, yellow or pale material. Look for any other symptoms that could be a respiratory infection/disease. Those can include head shaking, gasping or gaping, crackles when breathing, nasal drainage, swollen eyelid or face, or bubbles/foam in one eye.

Thank you for letting me know. I won’t do that again. None of the other symptoms mentioned at all. Was very healthy beforehand too- hence the brooding in nest.

 

[Eggcessive]

Hopefully, is fine. It might be something temporary. Is she able to eat and drink today?