3 1/2 month chicken walking around with mouth open

[srfjeld]

I have a 3 1/2 month old black cochin who has taken to walking around with her beak parted open on occasion. I immediately thought gape-worm and checked her throat a couple days ago but I couldn't see anything.

Is this a normal behavior? Should I be concerned?

Thank you!

 

[2hot2chicken]

I forgot today I did a frozen Banana...... I have given them bananas beofre so they knew what it was and it was pretty funny when i dropped it.
They all rushed at it and then pecked once and backed off because it was hard! They watched it for a while to try to figure out what it was!
Circled around it for a while then found where I had cut it in half (no skin in the center) and started pecking away slow at first then picking up as it thawed. I think it took 7 chickens about 15 minutes to eat 2 bananas that started out frozen solid and the first 13-14 minutes were spent eyeballing it!

I have also done chilled steemed carrots. I cook a few extra when I steem em for dinner and put them in the fridge. the next morning I chop em up a bit and throw em out in the run before I let the girls out and they go crazy for those to.
I have also bought them a head of lettuce and given them that cold to pick at........

Actually reading what Ive told you I think my chickens are very spoiled. They get so many fresh fruits and veggies it a wonder they even want to eat their food at all or have the room for it

But then again they are pigs and always begging for more.......

I have 3 BR and 1 silkie that are 6 months old, 3 EE that are 5 months old, 1 silkie that is 1.5 years old and 7 chicks that are 4 weeks old (5 silkie/2 brahma) and they each like something a little different then the other. You will figure out what they like just keep experimenting...... with fresh fruits and veggies how can you wrong?

Basicly any fresh cold or frozen fruit or veggies are good to cool em down. Mine quit panting for a quite while after a cool treat. Even on the couple days we have had that have hit 90.

 

[kidcody]

Does this happen even when its cooler out ?

 

[acarter26]

She may be hot. They'll open they're mouths and pant to cool off.

 

[cat1994]

It could just be b/c he is hot my girls do this to cool down, was it like he was panting kind of like a dog does but without the tough hanging out of course

 

[srfjeld]

I think you guys have hit the nail on the head! I'm in Portland, Oregon and we rarely get too hot but we've actually had a few days of high 80s and actually have had some humidity the last couple of days. My cochin is my most feathered girl, but I just noticed my 4/mo old SLW is also panting a bit and is holding her wings a bit away from her body. So, I guess my next question is, how do you cool them down? I misted inside their run a bit today, which they hated... I mostly did it b/c it seemed like a dust bowl. Doesn't water just wick off their feathers? I'm not too too worried b/c this heatwave won't last long. I just spoil my girls and hate seeing any sign of discomfort.

 

[lynniev45]

I put in a pan of water for them to get into. They cool off that way.

 

[Auscal]

"how to cool them down"

Make sure they have plenty of shade - "tree shade" is cooler than artifical shade. I have found that wetting down the dirt in the run fairly thoroughly seems to help - my girls seem to enjoy tucking down in the damp dirt.

 

[PartridgeRooster]

Quote:
I'm sorry for that terrible heat wave, lol. Your chickens will be fine. Mine survived through constant 100 degree days for a week with 70 percent humidity. I use water pans and wetting the dirt, along with shade and ventilation.

 

[7L Farm]

High in the 80's I wish its been triple digits forever here. But seems your chickens aren't use to much heat so their probably just panting to cool down.