Cockerel breathing in an odd way in cold weather

[The Chick Addict]

My 5 month old bantam mix cockerel, Buttercup, acts fine during the day, but when he's sleeping or resting, he starts slowly opening and closing his eyes and breathing with his mouth open as if he was having a hard time breathing. It started when the cold weather came and I think it may be from the cold air. I brought him inside and about after 5 minutes he was acting perfectly fine. It looks very concerning when he does it. Any ideas why he may be doing it and how to help him?

 

[Certified Chicken Lover]

Are his eyes watery? Is his comb pale? Do you think you could upload a video of him doing it?

 

[orelsi]

I've had a hen that used to open her beak and breathe laboriously ONLY when she was lying on the ground. She never did it while roosting, upright or moving around. It looked very odd and concerning, but she had no disease and lived to 6 years. I think it was some birth defect that messed up the positioning of her trachea while lying down.

Are there other symptoms like raspy breathing? Liquid coming out of his beak or eyes? Listlessness? Is he eating?

 

[The Chick Addict]

Are his eyes watery? Is his comb pale? Do you think you could upload a video of him doing it?

His eyes seem a little bit more watery then usual when he's breathing that way. His comb is bright red, no paleness. I was hoping to get a video of him doing it, if I can.

 

[The Chick Addict]

I've had a hen that used to open her beak and breathe laboriously ONLY when she was lying on the ground. She never did it while roosting, upright or moving around. It looked very odd and concerning, but she had no disease and lived to 6 years. I think it was some birth defect that messed up the positioning of her trachea while lying down.

Are there other symptoms like raspy breathing? Liquid coming out of his beak or eyes? Listlessness? Is he eating?

I did hear a gurgle a few times when he was breathing that way, maybe even a slight wheeze. No liquid coming out of his beak or eyes, and no listlessness. He has been eating, though he is not well liked by the other chickens because of his rough hormonal mating (which is starting to get over) so I am not sure how much he has been eating, but I will keep a better eye on his food intake. Is there anything I can do for him tonight, or will I have to keep him inside?

 

[orelsi]

I did hear a gurgle a few times when he was breathing that way, maybe even a slight wheeze. No liquid coming out of his beak or eyes, and no listlessness. He has been eating, though he is not well liked by the other chickens because of his rough hormonal mating (which is starting to get over) so I am not sure how much he has been eating, but I will keep a better eye on his food intake. Is there anything I can do for him tonight, or will I have to keep him inside?

Monitor him for now. If there's constant wheezing and he is acting abnormal (being listless, sitting in the corner doing nothing, eating less) it may indicate respiratory infection like mycoplasma which is common during the winter and can be treated very successfully with oxytetracycline antibiotics, BUT you don't want to rush it and treat a healthy chicken.