Cockerel wheezing heavily for hours after first morning crowing

[HighlandCoop]

Please help! My 5-6 month old cockerel just started crowing this morning, and now he has been sounding like this when breathing for hours since he was crowing. Could this be an issue with his vocal chords or should I be concerned about a respiratory issue?

Thanks.

 

[Rose the Legbar]

He could have gotten something stuck in his throat when crowing. Definitely not normal. @Wyorp Rock

 

[coach723]

Have someone hold him and use a flashlight and look down his beak and throat as far as you can see, look for anything obvious. Make sure you can see his tongue.
The sound is called stridor, it's caused by a partial obstruction of the airway. Often it's a bit of feed or something and will resolve on it's own with a bit of time, but when it persists it's a good idea to look for anything obvious.

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree that your cockerel is having stridor, a sound made when something is in the airway. It could be just a small piece of feed, a mucus plug, or some swelling in the trachea. Usually it will go away in a few hours if the piece of feed is coughed out or swallowed.

 

[HighlandCoop]

Thank you all for the input, we looked down his throat and couldn’t see anything obvious. We got him to drink more and have kept him inside, he has been sleeping a lot and is sounding progressively better. I’m wondering if it was a piece of something or perhaps his trachea got really swollen after trying to crow for the first time…or maybe a combo. Who knows. Appreciate the support! We’ll keep watching him—hopefully it’ll resolve all the way soon.

 

[Eggcessive]

I had a hen who for a time would get like that in the afternoon when she would eat at the feeder inside the coop. She was eating too fast, and then she would sound fine the next morning. It might be that he was eating when he decided to crow and aspirated. Hopefully he will figure that out.

 

[HighlandCoop]

I had a hen who for a time would get like that in the afternoon when she would eat at the feeder inside the coop. She was eating too fast, and then she would sound fine the next morning. It might be that he was eating when he decided to crow and aspirated. Hopefully he will figure that out.

That could definitely be what happened. I hope he does too if so!

Thanks for taking the time to respond, all!