Chicken losing voice?

[jaybanana]

I've tried to google, with little luck.

One of my hens (who is usually the noisest one) was making funny sounds this morning. It's like she's lost her voice. I checked a few other things:
- Comb is fine, red, healthy, standing up straight
- Eyes look clear, alert, no discharge
- No discharge from nose
- No apparent signs of trouble breathing, no wheezing
- Eating and drinking as normal
- Running around as normal
- Has been losing feathers (I suspect molting - it is autumn/fall here)
- No signs of diarrhoea

The "lost voice" is her only apparent symptoms. Could it be that she's just strained it?
Are there other illnesses that could affect her ability to make sounds? Is there something else I should be looking out for?

Just in case, I have isolated her from the others. I'd be reluctant to keep her isolated if it isn't necessary, as she is highly distressed. How long should I keep her isolated if no other symptoms develop?

 

[jaybanana]

Anyone?

 

[JesBarthel]

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

There's a chart at the bottom of that page the compares different symptoms to different diseases, it might help

 

[jaybanana]

No voice isn't one or the symptoms listed. And she still has no other symptoms, so still puzzled.

 

[JesBarthel]

I came across this site: http://www.raising-chickens.org/hen-has-lost-voice-.html . It suggested an obstruction, something lodged in the throat? It also said something about a certain type of mite called air-sac mites. Not sure if either of those are helpful...You're right though, there's like nothing on the net about this particular problem...

Is she doing any better today?

 

[jaybanana]

Just looked down her throat.... Appear to be swollen or something, looks different to my other chickens! White and inflamed. She was also really agitated and after our first look, fought with us and wouldn't let us look again.

If there is something lodged, its too irritated to see. Will follow those instructions on the link in case it is mites, and see how she goes. Still no sign of any other illness.

 

[jaybanana]

Still no better, no worse...

 

[jaybanana]

I tried to deworm her last night, but only had piperazine, when the link posted said to use ivermectin. Figured it couldn't hurt anyway! I actually syringe a bit into her, until she started fighting me, because in the past they just tend to knock the water over! Her throat was clear now. The white swollen bits have all gone, and it looks normal. She squawked a tiny bit, but was still struggling to make a sound. I wonder whether something had lodged, gotten inflamed, and now has gone down but has damaged her voice box?

I wormed and treated her for mites/lice, just in case. Still a bit at a loss as to what is wrong, no other signs of illness still! I'll just continue to monitor her and keep her separate.

 

[JesBarthel]

Could it be Canker, possibly? http://forum.backyardpoultry.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=7984614

 

[jaybanana]

Don't think so, judging from those photos. Her mouth looks clean and normal now, and previously it was white and swollen, like she'd drunk milk or cream!