Hen making a sputtering/clicking sound

[Hanathehappyhen]

Lately I’ve noticed my 4 year old hen making a kind of clicking sound when she breathes. It’s hard to describe, but it comes along with a kind or raspy inhale.

She tends to open her beak a bit when she breathes. It’s barely noticeable, not gasping or anything, just a little crack when she breathes. None of my other chickens do this, is it not normal?

Otherwise she seems healthy. She has a good appetite, drinks plenty, and is pretty active. She has not been laying eggs lately, but she also seems to be starting to molt.

Could she have gotten a little “cold” from sleeping outside? She was sleeping out in the run with a couple other hens for about a week. Because of a new coop set up. The night time temperatures were in the 40-50s, and we had been getting pretty heavy fog.

I have not tried to treat her with anything yet, and none of the other birds seem at all sick.

She also makes a kind of sputtering gasp when I pick her up.

 

[Eggcessive]

Videos of what you are seeing and hearing can be uploaded to a forum such as YouTube or Vimeo with a link posted here if that is something you can do. Clicking with breathing can sometimes be from a leaking air sac after suffering a bump injury. I think that clicks may also occur with other breathing or heart issues, but have only seen the type with a leaking air sac personally. Does she have any puffy areas along her chest, neck, or sides that could be air under her skin when you feel of her? Chickens have multiple air sacs along their bodies, and they can make a lot of unusual sounds when breathing. Is it very hot where you are located?

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is some reading about the respiratory system along with pictures of the air sacs:
http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/ASC/ASC200/ASC200.pdf

 

[Hanathehappyhen]

Here is some reading about the respiratory system along with pictures of the air sacs:
http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agcomm/pubs/ASC/ASC200/ASC200.pdf

Thank you! I’ll try to post a video tomorrow morning.

 

[Hanathehappyhen]

Videos of what you are seeing and hearing can be uploaded to a forum such as YouTube or Vimeo with a link posted here if that is something you can do. Clicking with breathing can sometimes be from a leaking air sac after suffering a bump injury. I think that clicks may also occur with other breathing or heart issues, but have only seen the type with a leaking air sac personally. Does she have any puffy areas along her chest, neck, or sides that could be air under her skin when you feel of her? Chickens have multiple air sacs along their bodies, and they can make a lot of unusual sounds when breathing. Is it very hot where you are located?

The weather has gone into the 90s but most days have been pretty average. Is a leaking air sack dangerous? And if she does have a leaking air sack will it heal?

 

[Eggcessive]

If the leaking air sac stays smaller, and the hen is not having difficulty breathing, it may be left alone while the air is reabsorbed into the body. If they are having respiratory distress, a sterile needle can be inserted just below the ballooned skin, and the air can be pressed out or withdrawn with a syringe. This is a good thread to read post 1 with a video:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ruptured-air-sac-subcutaneous-emphysema.1432594/