Clicking Chicken

[horsinaround317]

I have a 2 year old Silver Laced Whyndotte who has been through the ringer the last month. At the beginning of the month she was attacked by a hawk and her back and underwing pretty badly torn. We were able to clean it up and glue it back together and it healed very nicely. This morning I discovered a 4 inch vertical cut along her left breast. The wound was very clean and no dirt or blood was visible (she is a very feathery chicken). The wound has been cleaned and bandaged, however I noticed when I returned her to her sleeping spot that she is making an odd occasional clicking noise without moving her beak. I have seen this in smaller animals (chipmunks) and it is usually the "click of death" I am hoping that it is just a discomfort click (the wound cleaner stung) but would love some reassurance!

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. I have heard of others with very ill chickens having clicking with each breath. I have only seen this once when I had a 2 week old chick with a ruptured air sac on it’s right side. After puncturing the air under the skin and removing it with a needle, the clicking sound disappeared. How did your hen receive the recent wound? Do you have any pictures? Hopefully others will chime in with their knowledge.

 

[horsinaround317]

I didn't get a picture of the wound before bandaging but the crop was visible. However I did not see or feel any other organs (I poked around to check for fluid). As for the wound I have no clue she could have had it for a bit of time I only just happened to notice a feather hanging funny and found the cut. If it is a ruptured air sac what does that mean?

 

[Eggcessive]

A ruptured or leaking air sac (also called subcutaneous emphysema) is when one of the air sacs throughout the body is leaking air under the skin. It is similar to a collapsed lung in humans. There will be a pocket of air under the skin, and this may occur after an injury or bump to the body. If you are not seeing any gasping or problems breathing, then I would just watch it.

Location of air sacs in chickens

 

[FowlWitch]

A ruptured or leaking air sac (also called subcutaneous emphysema) is when one of the air sacs throughout the body is leaking air under the skin. It is similar to a collapsed lung in humans. There will be a pocket of air under the skin, and this may occur after an injury or bump to the body. If you are not seeing any gasping or problems breathing, then I would just watch it.

View attachment 1846250

Location of air sacs in chickens

What do the airsacs do biologically? I don't know a whole lot about chicken anatomy :0

 

[dawg53]

What do the airsacs do biologically? I don't know a whole lot about chicken anatomy :0

Air sacs circulate oxygen throughout the chickens body.

 

[dawg53]

I have a 2 year old Silver Laced Whyndotte who has been through the ringer the last month. At the beginning of the month she was attacked by a hawk and her back and underwing pretty badly torn. We were able to clean it up and glue it back together and it healed very nicely. This morning I discovered a 4 inch vertical cut along her left breast. The wound was very clean and no dirt or blood was visible (she is a very feathery chicken). The wound has been cleaned and bandaged, however I noticed when I returned her to her sleeping spot that she is making an odd occasional clicking noise without moving her beak. I have seen this in smaller animals (chipmunks) and it is usually the "click of death" I am hoping that it is just a discomfort click (the wound cleaner stung) but would love some reassurance!

I agree with Eggcessive, sounds like a punctured air sac.

 

[FowlWitch]

Air sacs circulate oxygen throughout the chickens body.

So kind of like lungs?

 

[dawg53]

So kind of like lungs?

Here's a good link for you to read:
https://www.drugs.com/vet/poultry-n...envet.wordpress.com/2013/04/16/chicken-lungs/

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is some reading about the avian respiratory system:
https://en.wikivet.net/Avian_Respiration_-_Anatomy_&_Physiology