Hen wheezing no other synptoms

[Ga Chicken Mom]

Sally is a 9 month old BO who has been healthy until today. This morning the flock was eating their morning treats of dandilion greens, kale, shelled sunflower seeds and grated cheese. Sally seemed to choke, she gagged a few times and her comb even looked the slightest bit blue. Within 30 seconds she was fine and eating well. This evening I noticed she is wheezing while breathing. There is no discharge from nostrils or mouth, her eyes are bright, comb and wattles are red as usual. She had a good appetite this evening. Sally is in good weight, I don't know about her poop until tomorrow. The flock has free choice organic layer feed from Countryside Naturals, clean water and pine shavings for deep litter. They are outside almost constantly during the day in a 25' x 50' run (10 chickens). We had miserable weather yesterday - the flock was wet and muddy but the temp was around 60. It was warm and sunny today and the chickies were clean and dry. Sally is in the basement in a quarantine cage with a heat lamp. Do I treat or wait for further symptoms? I hate to give her antibiotics if this is just a slight cold and she will recover on her own. Everyone else in the flock is healthy as of this evening. I did a search but she has so few symptoms - just the wheezing. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

 

[TheOLDNewChick]

Is there something perhaps lodged in her throat? Since she gagged and was wheezing, that's all I can think of. Maybe someone else will have a better suggestion.

 

[Ga Chicken Mom]

Thanks, Kimmie, I thought that might be the problem also but don't know how to tell. She ate well this evening so don't know if something could be stuck. I was thinking maybe she aspirated ( sp?) a piece of food but don't know what to do about that either.

 

[speckledhen]

Barbara, it sounds like she aspirated something or that something was lodged in her throat for a few moments, perhaps a sunflower seed stuck sideways (you said shelled,though) I've seen my Ivy chow down dry cat food before I could stop her up on my deck and she gags herself by eating really fast because she knows I'll make her quit if I catch her. She stretches her neck up really high when she does this, like she's really choking. If she's still wheezing, she may have something still in there, but I dont know how to tell you to find out exactly. Guess you could open her beak, put something like a pencil in crossways and look down her throat with a flashlight to see what you could see. It will take two of you, though.

 

[Ga Chicken Mom]

Thanks, Cyn, her color is good so I don't think she is having trouble breathing. She is asleep now but I will check tomorrow morning and try to see if she has something stuck in her throat. DH will help.

 

[speckledhen]

It came on so suddenly, Barbara, that I doubt she is actually ill. I know how you take care of your girls so you'd have noticed something before now. I really think it is a mechanical problem of some sort.

 

[Ga Chicken Mom]

Sally seems to be somewhat better this AM. She is a little raspy but not as bad as yesterday. Her poo looks good, she ate well and no discharge or problem with eyes. I will keep her inside until the breathing returns to normal. Any other suggestions?

 

[speckledhen]

Hard to say. Because the onset was sudden and when they were all chowing down on their treats, seems like she aspirated something to me. I guess I'd just do what you're doing and keep an eye on her, see if her breathing returns to normal.