Cracking/ purring sound

[silverpenguin]

A rooster I have had for a couple months makes a crackling noise sometimes almost like a purring. Generally he only does it at night when sleeping and increases when you are stroking him or carrying him.

He came like this and I isolated him, he didn't die, have any other symptoms, was a very happy healthy chicken otherwise.

So after a while I gave him his own flock and moved him from isolation, is has been with them for about 6 weeks.

Any idea what it could be? If it was in fact a disease of sorts surely it would have either ripped through the flock or left him by now?

However he continues to do the noise?

 

[Ursuline Chick]

I had a hen who would purr if you picked her up and petted her, almost like a cat. You had to corner her to pick her up, she wasn't one of those cuddly chickens.

 

[Shadrach]

A rooster I have had for a couple months makes a crackling noise sometimes almost like a purring. Generally he only does it at night when sleeping and increases when you are stroking him or carrying him.

He came like this and I isolated him, he didn't die, have any other symptoms, was a very happy healthy chicken otherwise.

So after a while I gave him his own flock and moved him from isolation, is has been with them for about 6 weeks.

Any idea what it could be? If it was in fact a disease of sorts surely it would have either ripped through the flock or left him by now?

However he continues to do the noise?

He might be snoring. I've known a couple of hens that snored.