Hen humming on breath in and breath out

[Carolrich]

Hello everyone!
Ruby, our 1 year old Golden Wyandotte hen started making this sound two days ago very occaisionally. I didin't think too much about it because it stopped. I was unable to spend time with the girls yesterday but my husband did not remark on anything unusual. Today she is doing it constantly. I think it is wheezing.
She has no nasal discharge.
She has clear bright eyes that are not watering.
She is eating and drinking normally.
Her crop is normal and I find no bound egg.
She is feisty.
Her head area doesn't smell foul.
Her comb and waddle are nice and red.

I saw several posts on BYC. One suggested soaking a piece of bread in olive oil in case there was something stuck in her throat. She took it readily. She is still making the sound but will stop occasionally for a short period and then start back up..
I isolated her from the rest of the flock.

in Kentucky, we are not able to obtain antibiotics by law. My avian vet won't give them out with out an office visit. I have spent so much money over the past 2 years on visits to him. I can't keep doing this.

Does anyone have thoughts, suggestions?

 

[azygous]

There are two little openings in a chicken's throat, one for air and one for food. Since the oil soaked bread didn't do anything, she may have an obstruction just in front of her larynx.

You will need a helper to hold the hen while you pry open her beak wide. Once it's open, your helper can easily hold it open while you look in with a bright light. Have tweezers handy in case you see anything. Look for a thin hair, human or horse or dog, perhaps wrapped around the tongue. Also check for thick mucous or plaque coating the throat and tongue or any lesions.

Another cause could be a full crop that is not emptying. Check in the morning to be sure this isn't the problem. The crop should be empty and flat against her chest.

We had a similar thread just a few weeks ago. The hen was whistling with each breath. Sometime during the night, the obstruction cleared on its own. Perhaps by morning when you check her crop, she will have cleared up her airway on her own.

 

[Carolrich]

There are two little openings in a chicken's throat, one for air and one for food. Since the oil soaked bread didn't do anything, she may have an obstruction just in front of her larynx.

You will need a helper to hold the hen while you pry open her beak wide. Once it's open, your helper can easily hold it open while you look in with a bright light. Have tweezers handy in case you see anything. Look for a thin hair, human or horse or dog, perhaps wrapped around the tongue. Also check for thick mucous or plaque coating the throat and tongue or any lesions.

Another cause could be a full crop that is not emptying. Check in the morning to be sure this isn't the problem. The crop should be empty and flat against her chest.

We had a similar thread just a few weeks ago. The hen was whistling with each breath. Sometime during the night, the obstruction cleared on its own. Perhaps by morning when you check her crop, she will have cleared up her airway on her own.

When my husband comes home, I will look into her that. Thank you!

 

[azygous]

Try to take a couple of photos with good lighting. We'll be waiting to see and hear what you find.

 

[Carolrich]

Try to take a couple of photos with good lighting. We'll be waiting to see and hear what you find.

I will try.

 

[Eggcessive]

Listen to this video starting at 50 seconds, and listen for a high pitched wheezy sound which is called stridor. It is accompanied by a frequent sneeze as well. If your chicken is having stridor, that sound can be made when they have something in their airway, such as mucus, a piece of food, or swelling. Most cases of stridor clear after a couple of hours with a good cough, but sometimes they can be a sign of a respiratory infection, especially if you hear sneezing as well. Some antibiotics can be obtained online for respiratory infections. Tylan 50 injectable is usually available in cattle medicine sections of feed stores.

 

[Carolrich]

That is the sound. She has made just a very few sounds like the squeak. I have heard it maybe twice today. Thank you for the antibiotics tip. Am waiting for my husband to come home so I can look in her throat. I will update.

 

[Eggcessive]

Nine times out of ten, in threads posted here, people report that it stops within hours or overnight. I have seen a particular hen of mine who seemed to wolf her food, and has done it as well. If it persists, or she gets more symptoms, such as bubbles in an eye, gasping, or nasal drainage, then we can discuss antibiotics.

 

[Carolrich]

Nine times out of ten, in threads posted here, people report that it stops within hours or overnight. I have seen a particular hen of mine who seemed to wolf her food, and has done it as well. If it persists, or she gets more symptoms, such as bubbles in an eye, gasping, or nasal drainage, then we can discuss antibiotics.

Thank you. I feel reassured. Will let you all know.

 

[Carolrich]

Nine times out of ten, in threads posted here, people report that it stops within hours or overnight. I have seen a particular hen of mine who seemed to wolf her food, and has done it as well. If it persists, or she gets more symptoms, such as bubbles in an eye, gasping, or nasal drainage, then we can discuss antibiotics.

I looked into her throat. I couldn't take a picture although I tried. I saw nothing that appeared to be an obstruction. We are going to bed now and will see how she is doing in rhe morning.