HELP! My Rooster is sounds terrible when he breathes!

[Debbie Holcomb]

My Rhode Island Red Rooster is 20 weeks old. He looks and acts normal. He is crowing, beginning to breed his ladies (same age) and in all other aspects, acting fine. But we noticed when he began to crow, that at the end of each crow, he sounded like a baby cat, or like he was sucking in air, or something. It was barely audible, but we thought it was just a little quirkiness that he had. However, it has gotten much louder. That it not what concerns us though. Now, you can actually audibly hear him breathing! It sounds like he has some kind of respiratory issue. He has been crowing for 2 1/2 months with this "backdraft" issue, or whatever it is. But I'm really worried about this new audible breathing issue. Any ideas about what I can give him? So far, all the hens look and sound fine.

 

[azygous]

From your description, it sounds like he has breathing issues when he's crowing and also when he's just simply breathing. Is that correct? Or is it only at the tail end of a crow that you hear this anomaly?

If his breathing is noisy, please describe it. Does it sound like rattles, crackling, whistling, or wheezing? Does he do it sometimes or all of the time?

Is his behavior otherwise normal? Is he eating and drinking? Or is he lethargic and quiet and withdrawn?

 

[Tristeli]

Hi! My 10mo old cockral seems to be exhibiting similar issue...the breath after his attempt to vocalize is like a gasp sounding wheeze. No gurgling or rattling or discharge etc. He’s 100% normal otherwise-eats drinks poops dances for the ladies. Suddenly cant talk anymore with somewhat audible breathing. It’s been going on a week and no other bird has this issue. Just the rooster.

Can OP update with what was going on with their roo??

 

[azygous]

Hi! My 10mo old cockral seems to be exhibiting similar issue...the breath after his attempt to vocalize is like a gasp sounding wheeze. No gurgling or rattling or discharge etc. He’s 100% normal otherwise-eats drinks poops dances for the ladies. Suddenly cant talk anymore with somewhat audible breathing. It’s been going on a week and no other bird has this issue. Just the rooster.

Can OP update with what was going on with their roo??

Your rooster is just experiencing some anomalies with his crowing mechanism called the syrinx. It's made up of membranes that sometimes get stretched out of shape, and this causes temporary wheezing following a crowing episode. It may last a few hours or even a few days, but it will eventually revert back to normal. It isn't a serious issue, being temporary.

 

[kristinaherb]

My rooster has been having that backdraft issue since he started crowing and is now 6 months old. He started what sounded like a sneeze about 3 months ago. It stayed isolated to him, so i didn't think to treat for anything. The sneeze has recently progressed and his crow now sounds absolutely aweful. Girls are still acting fine with no symptoms. He's not a roo that i can handle much, he's let me pet his back, but that's it.

 

[Tristeli]

As an update to my original post. No, it was not normal for my beloved roo to lose his voice or have that backdraft whistling sound. At all. He took a sudden turn at the beginning of the July 4th weekend (when no vet or hospital could see him). He was rushed to emergency and put in an oxygen tank where he died 24hrs later. They had scoped him, and X-rays at admittance but could not see the problem-just that his air sacs and lungs were obliterated. There was nothing to be done at that point. Autopsy and pathology revealed a systemic aspergillosis infection with fungal balls in his throat and lungs. He developed his non specific breathing symptoms when he was a year old, I had him cultured for fungus and mycotoxins but now have found there was a better globulin test. He remained chronic but stable for almost 3 months, took a sudden turn, and was dead 5 days later. No one else in my large mixed flock got it save a polish hen same age/hatchery. She’s positive for antibodies-waiting in the globulin test from the Miami lab. It’s a simple blood test. If you can, just get the test and save yourself the heartache. We traced it to a batch of compost in my shade garden but it lives everywhere. It’s not just a brooder thing.