1 Year Old Chicken Wheezing

[Ltilden]

My 1 year old Lavender Orpington is suddenly wheezing. I didn’t hear it last night when I closed up the coop, but this morning I heard it but couldn’t pin point who it was coming from before I left for work and it was very faint. When I got home the wheeze is much more pronounced and I could tell it was coming from Sky. We are in the midst of the first heat wave of the season, 90s and humid yesterday and today. They had plenty of water and lots of shade in their run, but I’m wondering if it could be due to the heat? I brought her inside and tried to get her to drink some water with Vetrx in it but she seems too stressed at the moment to be interested in water. Her wheezing was worse when I brought her in at first (see video link below I took when the wheezing was at its worst), but once she settled down it stopped. I have her in a dog crate in a quiet, cool room for now so she can rest. Her crop was large and squishy but no smell at the moment. There were little bits of what felt like her food in there but it didn’t seem blocked. She did poop once inside and it was pretty much all water with brown bits in it. Could this be just due to the heat or do you think it’s something respiratory? I thought possibly sour crop but I don’t smell anything so I’m not sure it’s that? Any advice would be appreciated

https://youtube.com/shorts/g3vd_ts7qcs?feature=share

editing to add: I also have a picture of her poop if anyone thinks that might be helpful

 

[azygous]

We had a hen here on BYC that sounded just like your hen last week, and it died within 24 hours. None of us had a clue why it was making that sound.

We advised that the hen's throat be examined with a strong light for a sign of obstruction. If you can get someone to hold your hen, you can pry open the beak and shine a light in the throat. If something is caught in there, perhaps you can fish it out. Look for anything wrapped around the tongue, too.

Here is a tutorial on crop disorders. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/ You won't always be able to smell sour crop, and sometimes impacted crop can smell very bad. Sour crop can sometimes spill into the throat and cause wheezing.

 

[Ltilden]

We had a hen here on BYC that sounded just like your hen last week, and it died within 24 hours. None of us had a clue why it was making that sound.

We advised that the hen's throat be examined with a strong light for a sign of obstruction. If you can get someone to hold your hen, you can pry open the beak and shine a light in the throat. If something is caught in there, perhaps you can fish it out. Look for anything wrapped around the tongue, too.

Here is a tutorial on crop disorders. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/ You won't always be able to smell sour crop, and sometimes impacted crop can smell very bad. Sour crop can sometimes spill into the throat and cause wheezing.

Oh god, that’s not the news I was hoping for. I will try checking her throat this morning. She didn’t wheeze at all last night while she was was sleeping, but this morning as soon as I took her out of the crate she started again. I don’t think it’s a crop issue either because her crop has completely emptied over night. She also had a BIG solid normal looking poop this morning. Her comb is bright red and I don’t see any discharge from her eyes and nose. I’ll update after I check her throat.

 

[Ltilden]

Oh god, that’s not the news I was hoping for. I will try checking her throat this morning. She didn’t wheeze at all last night while she was was sleeping, but this morning as soon as I took her out of the crate she started again. I don’t think it’s a crop issue either because her crop has completely emptied over night. She also had a BIG solid normal looking poop this morning. Her comb is bright red and I don’t see any discharge from her eyes and nose. I’ll update after I check her throat.

Update: checked throat and couldn’t see anything in there or around her tongue.
Should I try to give her bread soaked in olive oil?

 

[azygous]

You can do that. If your hen has an obstruction in the airway, it won't help, though. But it can't hurt in case she has an obstruction in her esophagus or farther down.

I honestly can't think what could be responsible for that sound, though, unless it's perhaps a tumor putting occasional pressure on the larynx. In the case of that other hen, I suspect that's what may have killed her, asphyxiation, but the OP never got a necropsy to find out.

In case of death, if you can swing it, a lab can do a necropsy on your hen and discover exactly what caused death, just as with humans that died mysteriously.

 

[Banana01]

The sound is possibly due to exhaustion from panting, which is due to the heat. Check out this peer reviewed article that recommends what to do to prevent overheating. I almost lost a chicken the other day from just one hour of exposure to the sun, I live under extreme UV conditions. I luckily found him and cooled him down with ice. He was panting so hard and just laid down flat. Couldn't eat or drink for hours until his body regained normal temperature.

The sound is similar to when a chicken gets botulism and their neck goes totally limp, they try to breathe and their airway is closed due to paralysis, however exhaustion would cause the same sound. Just doesn't have the energy to hold their neck up anymore.

Just a thought, but heat is dangerous. Here is an article to maybe help.

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/heat-stress

 

[Ltilden]

The sound is possibly due to exhaustion from panting, which is due to the heat. Check out this peer reviewed article that recommends what to do to prevent overheating. I almost lost a chicken the other day from just one hour of exposure to the sun, I live under extreme UV conditions. I luckily found him and cooled him down with ice. He was panting so hard and just laid down flat. Couldn't eat or drink for hours until his body regained normal temperature.

The sound is similar to when a chicken gets botulism and their neck goes totally limp, they try to breathe and their airway is closed due to paralysis, however exhaustion would cause the same sound. Just doesn't have the energy to hold their neck up anymore.

Just a thought, but heat is dangerous. Here is an article to maybe help.

http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/heat-stress

So would you suggest continuing to keep her inside and continue with food and water as normal?
Are you fairly certain based on the sound it’s not a respiratory infection? I’ve never had a chicken with one so I’m not sure of the sound.

 

[azygous]

We can't be certain of anything since this is the internet and we aren't there with your chicken to see a complete picture. We have to go solely on what you tell us and a video and photos. What we do is to suggest treatment of symptoms we observe from the information you provide. We can't make a diagnosis.

Respiratory infection sounds more like rattles. There also usually will be a discharge from eyes and nares and perhaps some swelling in the sinuses.

What to do? What you've been doing. Give your hen plenty of fluids with electrolytes and keep her from getting overheated.

 

[Ltilden]

We can't be certain of anything since this is the internet and we aren't there with your chicken to see a complete picture. We have to go solely on what you tell us and a video and photos. What we do is to suggest treatment of symptoms we observe from the information you provide. We can't make a diagnosis.

Respiratory infection sounds more like rattles. There also usually will be a discharge from eyes and nares and perhaps some swelling in the sinuses.

What to do? What you've been doing. Give your hen plenty of fluids with electrolytes and keep her from getting overheated.

Sorry for implying you could be certain about a diagnosis online, that was not my intention at all!! I wrote that too quickly. I guess I just meant from your experience does it sound like a respiratory infection noise. I truly appreciate everyone who contributes to this page with their experience raising chickens, it’s wonderful that you take time out of your day to help others in that way. I appreciate all the input and I will continue what I’ve been doing.