After crow: Raspy breathing and head shaking is this normal or should I worry?

[tammyfarms]

I did something I know I probably shouldn't have about 3 weeks ago and bought 5 adult chickens. I put them in a seperate coop/run from my other chickens.

Everyone seems pretty healthy, but after he crows the rooster has a raspy breath, almost like he is having trouble getting air back into his lungs. Often he shakes his head sideways after he crows and breathes in. The only other time I heard him have trouble breathing is when he was chasing another chicken around the pen he got winded pretty quickly. Here is a video of him crowing and the head shake/wiggle. You have to listen pretty closely at the end, it sounds like air beign sucked back into a fireplace bellows.
Since adding the video did not work, I am editing this post to add a youtube link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTzD0O1XsM0

He has no other symptoms, his nose is not snotty, no sneezing, no coughing. All of the chickens have red combs and have put on weight. They were wormed 12 days ago with Valbazen and then again 2 days ago as a follow up. I have been giving them occassional scrambled eggs, buttermilk with oatmeal along with vitamins and electrolites in their water. They get free choice Purina Layena with Calf Manna mixed in.

Any thoughts on what this could be? At first I was thinking he might have gapeworms, but the Valbazen should have knocked them out, right? Should I try an antibiotic? Am I just being an overly cautious mom? I am open to suggestions.



Thanks for your help!

 

[Nebraskagirl]

Gapeworm? I can't get your video to play.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Yeah ... the video's still broken. But, that's ok ...

It could be tracheal worms, or lice/mices ... or, it could just be somethin' in his throat.

If he's shakin' his head fairly constant, even when he doesn't crow? Watch for 'em to scratch, or others to do the same thing. That's likely be external parasites.

At any rate, these birds are new and unknown -- keep 'em isolated, and clean up both before and after visiting either group of birds. It'd be an excellent idea to worm them immediately, so as to not introduce any new species of worms that you might not have around yet.

Fenbendazole at the rate of 20 mg/kg of body weight for three consecutive days will eliminate all worms these birds may have, except for tapeworms, which they probably don't have ... you'd most likely see evidence of 'em if they did. Fenbendazole has been proven safe all the way up to 1,000 mg/kg or bw, with the only concern being that it should be given during molt, as it messes up the emerging feathers. It's gone from w/in the birds most rapidly, but I'd still not eat 'em for two weeks.

They should be treated for external parasites. Poultry/Garden Dust w/ the active ingredient Permethrin (and no synergist, such as piperonyl butoxide) is by far the better option for treating for lice/mites, as it breaks down completely w/in a month or so, and is actually safer to use than the natural permethrum it's the man-made counterpart to.

All of your birds should be given Apple Cider Vinegar at the rate of four teaspoons to each gallon (but never in galvanized metal containers), as this is a treatment for many respiratory diseases, and exposures to toxins, and serves to 'cut through' the coatings in the mouths, throats and intestines, which improves the uptake of vitamins/minerals, and -- most importantly -- it's something that may help your birds, but that cannot ever cause 'em even the slightest harm ~'-)

 

[Eggsoteric]

Without seeing the video and, for what it's worth, my 2 y.o. rooster, Baron, who was hatched out on my farm, has a bit of a raspy sound to his voice after he crows (he's been like that ever since he learned to crow). He sounds sort of like one of those community alert sirens as it's winding down. Baron does not, however, have the head shaking afterwards.

 

[tammyfarms]

Thanks for the replies so far. Here is a link to the you tube video, hopefully this will work:

I will try treating for external parasites.

They have all been treated for internal parasites with Valbazen, the hens received 1/2 cc per bird and he got 1 cc since he is so much bigger. They were wormed 12 days ago, then again 2 days ago. I haven't noticed any excessive scratching. We have had fairly dry weather here until the past few days and they were happily creating holes for dust bathing.

ACV is something that I do as a part of their normal care, I did not even think to mention it.... They have been getting regular Heinz ACV while I am waiting for the Mother in my new batch of Braggs to start growing, although I might start using it on them.

 

[cowcreekgeek]

Thanks for the replies so far. Here is a link to the you tube video, hopefully this will work:

I will try treating for external parasites.

They have all been treated for internal parasites with Valbazen, the hens received 1/2 cc per bird and he got 1 cc since he is so much bigger. They were wormed 12 days ago, then again 2 days ago. I haven't noticed any excessive scratching. We have had fairly dry weather here until the past few days and they were happily creating holes for dust bathing.

ACV is something that I do as a part of their normal care, I did not even think to mention it.... They have been getting regular Heinz ACV while I am waiting for the Mother in my new batch of Braggs to start growing, although I might start using it on them.

I'm no chickenologist or poultriatry behavioral such 'n so forth ... but it does sorta look like he's strainin' pretty hard, even goin' so far as to hold up a leg, just to make such a soft sound (not that a quiet rooster sounds like a bad thing. At all. ~'-)

Valbazen is Albendazole, can eliminate all worms, including tapeworms, at even much lower dosage levels for three consecutive days. But, although they may not have been completely removed, you'da killed sufficient loads of all worms w/ a single dosage of 113.6 mg in any bird up to 5.68 kg (12-1/2 pounds).

SoOo ... it ain't likely to be worms. But, it might be the result of the damages done ... check the crop for any signs of thickening, or anything else that doesn't feel right, and while you're at it? Smell his breath. If it smells like vodka, find his bottle, but if it really stinks? That might be an issue. Also, if you can, look in his mouth for any signs of ulcerations or anything that doesn't look right.