Adult Hen Breathing Through Mouth? Panting?

[whiteybird]

Hi all,

I have had my rir Feisty in the house with me since early sep when she was attacked my a raccoon...she has been recovering nicely so far - not quite back to normal yet, but getting there. My idea was to document the whole healing process and then post it for encouragement/case study, but I slacked off on pictures and weigh-ins...ooops. One of these days I'll post her story...

Anyway, she's sitting in a box behind me, just sitting and chilling, but since yesterday I noticed she does some breathing through her mouth. Like panting. She's sitting on her feet, so I can see how she'd need to pant to get rid of some excess heat, but it's only 75 in here, which doesn't seem hot enough to me to warrant her behavior. Other than being mad that I've kept her inside today (I've been slowly letting her spend time outside in a separate enclosure, and she was out there yesterday) she's not acting any differently.

What other reasons could cause a hen to pant besides being too hot? Her neck was injured in the attack but it seemed to miss her esophagus and trachea...?

Thanks!

 

[Eggcessive]

My guess is with all those feathers she is hot. Panting is how chickens cool themselves. Make sure her box doesn't have any sun on it. Can you put her outside in a crate in the coop?

 

[whiteybird]

she is in the middle of molting...had most of her feathers but theyve definitely thinned out...still some feathers missing from around her neck, or just nubs from where i cut the bloody and matted ones off. Just didn't think she'd be hot inside where it's cool and only 75. Not in the sun.

But hey, if other people think she could just be hot, I'm good with that theory