Hen breathing raspy, kind of a purring sound (Sorry about the long post 😅)

[kh6234]

She started acting strange yesterday, temperatures here have been very hot, upwards of 100 degrees. She was not breathing like the video yesterday, that started today. Yesterday she was just sitting and would close her eyes occasionally and when someone would come out to check, she would get up and go eat and what not. Today she seemed more lively in that regard but the strange breathing started. I made a little ice bath like below for her and her roomie

(i have her and another in a large tractor/coop setup, because my main flock of 5 isn’t accepting of new birds unfortunately. so I initially had only gotten a black and white pullet and got this red hen to keep her company.) Her roommate is acting normal. No wheezing or any issues like that, heat isn’t seeming to bother her either. None in my main flock are acting strange either. Im mainly worried about this one. I’m not sure if the heat is affecting her, she does seem to be a little bigger build too. She’s a BYM. I haven’t really dealt with health problems in my flock before. I thought maybe it could be stridor but wanted everyone’s input. Attached are video of the hens breathing and photos of her. Temps are supposed to cool down this week and it’s supposed to rain as well so hoping this helps her too. Thanks!
Video link: (may need to turn volume all the way up)

 

[ChicNmom]

Did you check her crop or feel her abdomen to see if it feels watery?

Is she laying eggs? She looks a little pale in the picture.

 

[kh6234]

Did you check her crop or feel her abdomen to see if it feels watery?

Is she laying eggs? She looks a little pale in the picture.

Her crop feels normal.

She hasn’t started laying eggs yet, she’s still fairly young, around 6 months.

 

[kh6234]

This is what she looked like a few weeks ago when I first got her.

 

[ChicNmom]

Her crop feels normal.

She hasn’t started laying eggs yet, she’s still fairly young, around 6 months.

Is the raspy sound coming from her head or does it sound deeper in her lungs?


Do you have her on layer feed yet? She is due to start laying any time. I have had a couple of girls have reproductive issues right when they started to lay.

 

[kh6234]

Is the raspy sound coming from her head or does it sound deeper in her lungs?


Do you have her on layer feed yet? She is due to start laying any time. I have had a couple of girls have reproductive issues right when they started to lay.

I honestly can’t tell, if I had to guess I would say her throat. And she is on layer feed as well as the hen I have her with, they are both the same age just about.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

DId you quarantine her before introducing her into your flock? If she is sick, your other chickens have now been exposed to whatever she may have. I'm sorry but she does not look well to me. Feel her crop first thing in the morning before she has anything to eat or drink to see if it has emptied during the night. If it has not, report how it feels. Hard or soft, doughy, spongy, fibrous, etc. Smell her beak and see if it has an odor, report that as well.

 

[kh6234]

I quarantined for 2 weeks before I put her with the other hen and she showed no symptoms of anything.
The more i’m researching her symptoms and everything the more i’m thinking it’s heat stress as she has a fair amount of those symptoms, and with how high temps have been. I just ordered this as well, supposed to help in situations like this.

 

[ChicNmom]

@kh6234

If her crop and abdomen are normal then I'd treat for heat stress unless some other symptom appears. Can you give her some electrolytes? Maybe put her in a cooler place or put a fan on her.

Calcium can help with any muscle cramping so I would give her some.
But getting her body temp down would be the first thing.

 

[kh6234]

@kh6234

If her crop and abdomen are normal then I'd treat for heat stress unless some other symptom appears. Can you give her some electrolytes? Maybe put her in a cooler place or put a fan on her.

Calcium can help with any muscle cramping so I would give her some.
But getting her body temp down would be the first thing.

This is what I was thinking is the problem. I’m going to try these recommendations, thanks!