Chicken panting

[angela27]

I've noticed my little hen seems to pant a lot, especially at night. When she does this she has her wings held out away from her body. I figured she must be hot, but not sure. The days have been fairly warm but the nights a lot cooler. I've been putting a fan on her too, but she still pants. She is normal otherwise, energetic, eating well.
What I'd like to know is, is she just hot, or could something else be wrong, and what can I do for her?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I've noticed my little hen seems to pant a lot, especially at night. When she does this she has her wings held out away from her body. I figured she must be hot, but not sure. The days have been fairly warm but the nights a lot cooler. I've been putting a fan on her too, but she still pants. She is normal otherwise, energetic, eating well.
What I'd like to know is, is she just hot, or could something else be wrong, and what can I do for her?

Welcome to BYC


Where are you located and what temperature(s) are you seeing?
Can you post a photo of your coop and where she roosts at night? (one or two of her as well

)
What size (sq.ft.) is your coop and how much ventilation?
Any other symptoms - sneezing, rattle in her breathing, gurgling, wheezing, runny nose/eyes?

Usually panting and wings held away from the body is a way for a chicken to cool themselves.
If you haven't done so, evaluate the amount of ventilation that is in your coop, since nighttime seems to be when she seems the "hottest". Without seeing photos, it's hard to say, but you may need to add more roosting space and open more windows or create more air circulation.

While the behavior you are seeing is most likely overheating, you will want to check her over for any signs of lice/mites, listen to her breath to see if you hear any wheezing and make sure she is drinking/eating well.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop

 

[angela27]

Welcome to BYC


Where are you located and what temperature(s) are you seeing?
Can you post a photo of your coop and where she roosts at night? (one or two of her as well )
What size (sq.ft.) is your coop and how much ventilation?
Any other symptoms - sneezing, rattle in her breathing, gurgling, wheezing, runny nose/eyes?

Usually panting and wings held away from the body is a way for a chicken to cool themselves.
If you haven't done so, evaluate the amount of ventilation that is in your coop, since nighttime seems to be when she seems the "hottest".  Without seeing photos, it's hard to say, but you may need to add more roosting space and open more windows or create more air circulation.

While the behavior you are seeing is most likely overheating, you will want to check her over for any signs of lice/mites, listen to her breath to see if you hear any wheezing and make sure she is drinking/eating well.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/...-go-out-there-and-cut-more-holes-in-your-coop

Located in Qld Australia. Temps have been around 31 degrees Celsius during the day, dropping to around 16/17 at night.
She's a spoilt wee chicken - during the day, she's mostly free range, unless we're not home, and then she stays in a small, very open coop that I keep under some trees. At night she comes inside. She usually perches on the top of the couch but when I go to bed, I keep her in a little cage in my bedroom (I have cats and don't want them to disturb her with their crazy midnight runs through the house).
Right now, she's resting, still with her wings away from her body, not panting so much, but breathing fairly heavily so that her whole body moves. She drinks water if I offer it, and I've taken to keeping some in her cage if she wants it. She took to it quite eagerly when offered a few hours earlier. She's been doing this pretty much the same for a while now. I'll often wake up in the morning and find her panting, but once I let her out she's straight down the hall to the cats water and cat food and then she paces at the door for me to let her out.
No signs of lice, and her breathing seems fine other than that she seems to breathe heavily. I think I'm more paranoid than anything. She's a super special chicken!
I had her at the vet 2 months ago after displaying the same kind of behaviour and they told me she was completely healthy

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Located in Qld Australia. Temps have been around 31 degrees Celsius during the day, dropping to around 16/17 at night.
She's a spoilt wee chicken - during the day, she's mostly free range, unless we're not home, and then she stays in a small, very open coop that I keep under some trees. At night she comes inside. She usually perches on the top of the couch but when I go to bed, I keep her in a little cage in my bedroom (I have cats and don't want them to disturb her with their crazy midnight runs through the house).
Right now, she's resting, still with her wings away from her body, not panting so much, but breathing fairly heavily so that her whole body moves. She drinks water if I offer it, and I've taken to keeping some in her cage if she wants it. She took to it quite eagerly when offered a few hours earlier. She's been doing this pretty much the same for a while now. I'll often wake up in the morning and find her panting, but once I let her out she's straight down the hall to the cats water and cat food and then she paces at the door for me to let her out.
No signs of lice, and her breathing seems fine other than that she seems to breathe heavily. I think I'm more paranoid than anything. She's a super special chicken!
I had her at the vet 2 months ago after displaying the same kind of behaviour and they told me she was completely healthy

She may be overheating and getting dehydrated. Chickens drink a lot of water, so make it available to her at all times. Since she eagerly accepts water when you offer it and then in the morning makes a bee-line to the cat's water dish this would (to me) indicate she needs more water. See if that helps.

Sounds like she has a good life! Keep us posted.