Hen started wheezing

[HalleBirdy]

One of my hens started making a strange wheezing sound. Best way I can describe it is a creaky door hinge or a rusty swing. The noise is in time with her breathing, so I wonder about something upper respiratory. I have tried to attatch a video, but I keep getting an error message. She is otherwise acting normal; no panting or visibly labored breathing and no lethargy. She has been scratching and pecking around in my yard all day. My chickens ate free range by day, but go up to roost in a large coop at night. None of the other chickens are wheezing. I have never heard this sound from a chicken, so I am concerned.

 

[azygous]

Post your video to You Tube, copy the link and paste it here. The video will embed.

I just had a hen a few days ago with this. It's called stridor, and it can come on suddenly and disappear as suddenly. Almost all cases resolve overnight.

Most of the time, a food particle becomes lodged in the airway. It may sound alarming, but it almost is never a serious threat. Give her a little applesauce to eat. That may help.

Some cases are caused by a crop issue, so monitor her crop, as well.

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like stridor, a high pitched sound made by a small piece of feed getting stuck in the airway. Usually that clears within a few hours or overnight. It also can happen if there is swelling or mucus in the airway, as one might get with a respiratory disease. Videos must be uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo with a link posted here. Here is an example of stridor in post one:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/silkie-w-possible-stridor.1218528/

 

[HalleBirdy]

It sounds like stridor, a high pitched sound made by a small piece of feed getting stuck in the airway. Usually that clears within a few hours or overnight. It also can happen if there is swelling or mucus in the airway, as one might get with a respiratory disease. Videos must be uploaded to YouTube or Vimeo with a link posted here. Here is an example of stridor in post one:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/silkie-w-possible-stridor.1218528/

Post your video to You Tube, copy the link and paste it here. The video will embed.

I just had a hen a few days ago with this. It's called stridor, and it can come on suddenly and disappear as suddenly. Almost all cases resolve overnight.

Most of the time, a food particle becomes lodged in the airway. It may sound alarming, but it almost is never a serious threat. Give her a little applesauce to eat. That may help.

Some cases are caused by a crop issue, so monitor her crop, as well.

Thank you! I posted this right before I went to bed last night and she is breathing normally this morning. I will continue to monitor.

 

[Eggcessive]

Glad to hear that she no longer is making the sound.