Hen with clucking sound with each breath

[Doreeni]

Hi there. I’ve had chickens for almost 20 years but it’s been super hot here and even though they’re let out every morning to graze in the yard, I have an old hen who now is making a clunking sound with every breath. I’m supposing she may have a respiratory infection. The only antibiotics I have are cephalexin and Cipro. I wondered if anybody knew if it would be good to try one of those and what the dosage might be for an average size hen?

 

[nuthatched]

Any wheezing, sneezing, mucus or watery eyes?
If not, it might just be stridor.

 

[Doreeni]

I thank you for your response. So no discharge eyes are fine. I brought her inside and put her in a comfy cage. I gave her some soft cat food to see if she was eating, and she ate all of it and the noise went away! I heard her last night as I put all the chickens in the coop for the night and I went in there and she looked OK but she was doing it last night so she had been doing it for quite some time. I’ll keep her in for a day or two and make sure it doesn’t come back but thank you! Maybe something was just stuck in her throat.

 

[Doreeni]

Had to look up strider in a chicken and yes, that must’ve been correct! Thank you again

 

[Doreeni]

Sorry, she started doing it again. I don’t understand. She seems fine. I’ll give it some time.

 

[nuthatched]

Sorry, she started doing it again. I don’t understand. She seems fine. I’ll give it some time.

It might just be some debris in the airway, it should clear up in a day or so.

 

[Doreeni]

So helpful, I really appreciate it!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi there. I’ve had chickens for almost 20 years but it’s been super hot here and even though they’re let out every morning to graze in the yard, I have an old hen who now is making a clunking sound with every breath. I’m supposing she may have a respiratory infection. The only antibiotics I have are cephalexin and Cipro. I wondered if anybody knew if it would be good to try one of those and what the dosage might be for an average size hen?

I thank you for your response. So no discharge eyes are fine. I brought her inside and put her in a comfy cage. I gave her some soft cat food to see if she was eating, and she ate all of it and the noise went away! I heard her last night as I put all the chickens in the coop for the night and I went in there and she looked OK but she was doing it last night so she had been doing it for quite some time. I’ll keep her in for a day or two and make sure it doesn’t come back but thank you! Maybe something was just stuck in her throat.

Sorry, she started doing it again. I don’t understand. She seems fine. I’ll give it some time.

A video of her so we can hear her may be helpful. Upload video to youtube and provide a link.

How old is she?

Does she lay eggs?
Any bloat or fluid between her legs below the vent?
Is her crop emptying overnight?

It may be stridor, but sometimes when a hen is old she may have some fluid in the abdomen or her crop is not emptying well, these can cause some respiratory distress.

Observe her to see if she makes the noise after eating/drinking, while roosting or just at night or ??

 

[Doreeni]

A video of her so we can hear her may be helpful. Upload video to youtube and provide a link.

How old is she?

Does she lay eggs?
Any bloat or fluid between her legs below the vent?
Is her crop emptying overnight?

It may be stridor, but sometimes when a hen is old she may have some fluid in the abdomen or her crop is not emptying well, these can cause some respiratory distress.

Observe her to see if she makes the noise after eating/drinking, while roosting or just at night or ??

Hi, thank you for all of that. She was given to me about 10 years ago so I know she’s at least 10 years old. I don’t believe she was laying eggs anymore. I didn’t see anything else wrong with her. I didn’t see any fluid buildup anywhere, but this morning, she was still doing it and getting weaker I took her to the veterinarian. They put her to sleep. We’re all thinking with the hot weather and her age. It might’ve been pneumonia or something like that. Thank you again I did take a video. I’ll try to do the YouTube thing as soon as I can but I just got back from the vet.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi, thank you for all of that. She was given to me about 10 years ago so I know she’s at least 10 years old. I don’t believe she was laying eggs anymore. I didn’t see anything else wrong with her. I didn’t see any fluid buildup anywhere, but this morning, she was still doing it and getting weaker I took her to the veterinarian. They put her to sleep. We’re all thinking with the hot weather and her age. It might’ve been pneumonia or something like that. Thank you again I did take a video. I’ll try to do the YouTube thing as soon as I can but I just got back from the vet.

I'm sorry about your hen.

10yrs old was very good, I know it's hard to lose them, but age does play a role on how well they can handle heat. (just like us all)
I'm glad you were able to see the vet and she's no longer in distress.