HELP! My chicken is gasping for air, rattling noises and sneezing after it eats food!!!

[Serphial]

Here is video please check it out!

 

[azygous]

Her color seems normal. Eyes are bright and she seems alert. No facial swelling or eye discharge to indicate respiratory disease. She seems normally energetic. I see nothing to indicate a sick chicken.

I can't hear any breathing noises on the video. I'm going to guess this may be stridor caused by a tiny obstruction in the trachea. If it is, her normal movement and change of positions during wakefulness and sleep should cause it to resolve itself as is most often the case.

 

[azygous]

Another thought. Since she exhales through her nares but doesn't inhale, this is further indication of a small foreign body in the airway. Sneezing and coughing are normal responses to something in the airway. They will help in dislodging it. I predict she will be back to normal as soon as morning or sometime tomorrow.

 

[Serphial]

You can hear her odd chirps it’s different than what I used to hear. Also in the video you CANT hear her breathing through the nose hard. I hope IF it was an obstacle that was in her throat yesterday has passed on. I yesterday even tried getting a thin but firm feather drenched it in olive oil and shoved it far as I could down her mouth to hopefully remove if there was an obstacle in windpipe. Sounds harsh but I was fraid something might been lodged in there yesterday after her whole day of gasping every second and panicking. She does pick at her skin a lot she will pick at her chest where her crop is and then her feet. She Is not sneezing anymore as I see. Just very loud blows from her nose

 

[azygous]

What you did was understandable but dangerous. If oil gets into the airway, it can cause pneumonia if it makes its way into the lungs.

While there is a safe procedure to tube food and fluids and oil into the esophagus, there is no safe way to clear a foreign body from the trachea unless you are able to see it at the entrance to the trachea just behind the tongue. If you suspect something in the airway, unless it's a large chunk of food blocking the airway, it's best to let her body deal with it naturally. As I said, these small foreign bodies most often resolve on their own.

Look at this photo and you will be able to see clearly the two openings at the back of a chicken's throat. The food chute is on the chicken's far right of its throat while the airway is in the center. Jabbing a feather with oil into the throat is a recipe for disaster.

As long as your little one is acting alert and is active and eating, try to be patient. This should fix itself.

 

[Serphial]

I know...I wouldn’t do that ever again . Reason I done that was because I researched about chicken choking and somebody suggested that and I was on the edge feeling like she was dieing anyhow... which I understand your point. BUT right after that she slowed down on the gasping and started to relax and wanted to immediately go to sleep?. I’m thankful it didn’t turn for the worst.. I hope she gets better from here on. tomorrow will make day 3. I am also giving antibiotic as Tylan to her as well. I’ll keep posted for any other symptoms and update tomorrow! Thank you so much for helping me.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Good luck, hoping she's better tomorrow. Keep us posted! I learn so much from @azygous !

 

[Serphial]

What is her water intake like .Will she eat and eat then act like she is choking ? If that is the case .mabe add a larger grit for her .Take away any large pellets an large grains.Try feeding a mash .Be sure she is drinking enough

Also, when did this start, is it new? Did anything change about the time this started, like a change in feed? Can you check her crop at night and then again in the morning before she has a chance to eat or drink so you can tell if it has emptied overnight?

Yes when I let her out of coop in morning I noticed her doing this. This is day 2. No changes in feed she has pellets, 8 way scratch and mealworms. Her crop is full and is emptied by morning yes.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

In the video she looks good. Personally, if she's not showing any symptoms of respiratory disease or distress, then I wouldn't administer any more antibiotics.

Get some photos of her poop if you can.

Carol (@azygous ) is right, she may have been experiencing stridor since you mentioned that she was first gasping after eating/drinking. A bit of food stuck in the airway can cause distress.

IF you feel you need to continue with antibiotics - what are you giving? Is it Tylan50? What dosage?
Did you know that you can give injectable Tylan50 orally? I would go that route since Tylan50 needs to be given 3 times a day for 5 days - that many injections on such a small bird, I would worry about injection site necrosis.

Also, what are you feeding her? Does she have grit available? Is she drinking well?

Do you normally keep her inside or did you just bring her in for observation?

 

[Serphial]

Good luck, hoping she's better tomorrow. Keep us posted! I learn so much from @azygous !

Thank you I definitely will keep y’all posted!