Chicken with Something caught in throat.

[ambe0487]

My newest layer went from completely normal to coughing, wheezing like she couldn't catch her breath. No discharge from eyes or nose, acting normal. Signs get worse if she gets worked up.

I checked throat and I can't see anything blocking the passageway. I've attempted to give her oil/water mixture to dislodge whatever is in there but no luck.

She eats and drinks like normal. Suggestions? I think she has something stuck in there.

 

[Eggcessive]

How dusty is your feed? Have you recently added any new birds to the flock? Don't use oil, since she can choke on it and get it into her lungs.

 

[ambe0487]

How dusty is your feed? Have you recently added any new birds to the flock? Don't use oil, since  she can choke on it and get it into her lungs.

I use a mix of layer pellets and crumbles but she wasn't in the coop getting food, she was out free ranging. I have not added any new birds since my last hatch 14 weeks ago.

 

[Eggcessive]

Hopefully, it is just something temporary. Some worms can effect the thoat, so I would make sure the flock gets wormed, just in case. Valbazen 1/2 ml given orally, then repeated in 10-14 days will get the difficult worms such as capillary worms. Some ways to help prevent respiratory diseases are to maximize overhead ventilation, prevent hot temperatures with a fan during summer, keep conditions dry and prevent wet spots in the coop which will prevent mold, and use bedding such as large flake pine shavings or sand to prevent dust.

 

[ambe0487]

Hopefully, it is just something temporary. Some worms can effect the thoat, so I would make sure the flock gets wormed, just in case. Valbazen 1/2 ml given orally, then repeated in 10-14 days will get the difficult worms such as capillary worms. Some ways to help prevent respiratory diseases are to maximize overhead ventilation, prevent hot temperatures with a fan during summer, keep conditions dry and prevent wet spots in the coop which will prevent mold, and use bedding such as large flake pine shavings or sand to prevent dust.

Thank you! I checked on her this morning and it is like nothing happened and she is back to her old self. I will grab a worming product and get that going this weekend. She is the only one who has laid for my chickens so I won't worry too much about if I need to not eat the eggs I'm not getting!

As for coop, we built it with the hot Iowa summers and have it enclosed fully on 3 sides and hardware cloth on the 4th for extra breeze. To protect from the rain we bumped it up close to the shed.
I use a combination of sand and ash for flooring and top with dried prairie grass.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a good thread where someone else had the same experience: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1080787/very-loud-breathing