Audible Breathing in 1 year old hen. Help!

[Peaches Lee]

One year old Golden Comet hen. This morning when I went to do my chores she is making an audible breathing noise, weezing maybe? This came up just this a.m. No signs of sickness or listlessness, comb and wattles red. I cleaned their coop last Tuesday (wasn't even that dirty). I haven't noticed any discharge from eyes or nose. I seperated her in a crate and she went right to eating some layer pellets (which I removed because I don't know if this is a disease or a blocked airway).

However I am really freaking out as I don't want to cull my entire flock if this is serious (so I'm in a total state of panic right now). So far I have only noticed one hen like this. Please help!

 

[joypeters]

i would leave her separate, checking on her frequently. if she seems to lose her voice, strain to breathe or make a high pitched sound when breathing, she most likely has some type of lung involvement. this is usually accompanied by her crop turning dark, or purple.

if this happens, you'll need to have decided how far you want to go with this. is your animal a pet or livestock? think long and hard before spending hundreds if not thousands on trying to save your bird. i don't say this because i'm evil, i say it because chickens don't have much chance when faced with lung infections. and all the super efforts in the world may only extend their pain and suffering, and not their life.

i truly hope this is just an anomoly and your girl returns to health soon.

joy

 

[Peaches Lee]

Thank you for your response, my chickens are more pets than livestock (I wish I did think of them as livestock, things would be so much easier). She doesn't seem to be straining to breathe, but as if something is blocking the air and causing noise. I really hope it isn't something like Newcastle...

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Check out this link which has treatment suggestions including respiratory illness. The medications mentioned are available at many feed stores.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/517234/medical-treatments-recommended-by-bycers#post_6580204

Here is another link that may help you evaluate symptoms:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

I suppose there is the chance that she just has something stuck in her throat, so just watch her for a while.

 

[Peaches Lee]

Scratch'n'Peck--thank you for those links. She sounds like a Kazoo. Now I went and checked on her and she wasn't making that sound, so I sat and watched for a few minutes and she started it again, she also adjusted her crop (don't know if that's relevant). I'm really hoping and praying she just has something in her throat...

 

[Peaches Lee]

Well I checked on my hen again, and she is not doing this audible breathing anymore. She was even scratching at the shavings in her kennel and I still see no ocular or nasal discharge. I am still going to keep her quarantined until I have a better idea of what's going on.