I can't tell if my chicken is sneezing or coughing. Trying to figure out if this is chicken respiratory disease or something more? (Video attached)

[henspotter]

Hi all! My almost five year old hen has been making these weird noises for the past month or so and unfortunately due to family circumstances, I have been unable to set aside the proper time to pinpoint what is going on but I am here now. She's been making weird noises that sound like a sneeze to me, on and off, not constantly like one after the other back to back, but definitely many times throughout the day. It's hard to say bc I'm not always with them. It's hard to capture a video of her doing doing this bc I never know when she's going to.

Yesterday when I was videotaping her, I noticed that as I got closer to her, she was also making a little whistling like noise every tie she breathed. It's very faint in the second video (in the first as well but not as audible) video, but if you turn up the volume, you can hear it.

Her current symptoms:
-Sneezing/whistle-like breathing
-When I checked on her today, I noticed she's doing a head shake like thing pretty frequently like every five to ten seconds.
-Butt area, like the feather area, has been a little dirty - just a little for over two months though we've given her a couple of baths and put Corrid in their water as we've run into that same issue before and it helped. (Coccidiosis) Though it's been a while since her last bath. The poop hasn't been as bad so that is why.
-Doesn't appear to have a runny nose or discharge from eyes etc.
-Feet have elevated scales - not sure if this is worth nothing, but had done research on foot issues before so I'm just adding it in here too because I honestly do not know how long it has been like that.
-Overall behavior seems much more quiet, hesitant, definitely can tell something is off, but still likes to eat food like her corn snacks, and occasionally peck at some of the other hens who are below her in the pecking order.

See videos here: Video
I'm wondering if anyone would have any insight on what she's doing in that first video - sneezing? Coughing?

So yes, just to give you a timeframe, she's been like this for a while now (a month or so) but I do feel like the whistling noise is new - but from some of the research I did it seems like these illnesses can take a while to get really bad and of course, I definitely don't want that to happen. It's just been really difficult to pinpoint what's going on and what to do. I know the courses of action are different for chronic respiratory disease vs something like gapeworm. I have not checked her throat yet but I just wanted to post here first to see what you smart people had to say and perhaps save myself some time. I think I will definitely quarantine her, give her electrolytes, clean out the coop and that's all I know for now.

Thank you for all your help!! I just joined this website today and it's been a comfort just to be read through some posts and actually be active in here now.

 

[Rose Quartz]

Hi all! My almost five year old hen has been making these weird noises for the past month or so and unfortunately due to family circumstances, I have been unable to set aside the proper time to pinpoint what is going on but I am here now. She's been making weird noises that sound like a sneeze to me, on and off, not constantly like one after the other back to back, but definitely many times throughout the day. It's hard to say bc I'm not always with them. It's hard to capture a video of her doing doing this bc I never know when she's going to.

Yesterday when I was videotaping her, I noticed that as I got closer to her, she was also making a little whistling like noise every tie she breathed. It's very faint in the second video (in the first as well but not as audible) video, but if you turn up the volume, you can hear it.

Her current symptoms:
-Sneezing/whistle-like breathing
-When I checked on her today, I noticed she's doing a head shake like thing pretty frequently like every five to ten seconds.
-Butt area, like the feather area, has been a little dirty - just a little for over two months though we've given her a couple of baths and put Corrid in their water as we've run into that same issue before and it helped. (Coccidiosis) Though it's been a while since her last bath. The poop hasn't been as bad so that is why.
-Doesn't appear to have a runny nose or discharge from eyes etc.
-Feet have elevated scales - not sure if this is worth nothing, but had done research on foot issues before so I'm just adding it in here too because I honestly do not know how long it has been like that.
-Overall behavior seems much more quiet, hesitant, definitely can tell something is off, but still likes to eat food like her corn snacks, and occasionally peck at some of the other hens who are below her in the pecking order.

See videos here: https://imgur.com/gallery/wkOPgw4
I'm wondering if anyone would have any insight on what she's doing in that first video - sneezing? Coughing?

So yes, just to give you a timeframe, she's been like this for a while now (a month or so) but I do feel like the whistling noise is new - but from some of the research I did it seems like these illnesses can take a while to get really bad and of course, I definitely don't want that to happen. It's just been really difficult to pinpoint what's going on and what to do. I know the courses of action are different for chronic respiratory disease vs something like gapeworm. I have not checked her throat yet but I just wanted to post here first to see what you smart people had to say and perhaps save myself some time. I think I will definitely quarantine her, give her electrolytes, clean out the coop and that's all I know for now.

Thank you for all your help!! I just joined this website today and it's been a comfort just to be read through some posts and actually be active in here now.

Link isn't working and I'm on Imgur quite a lot. Not sure why it isn't

 

[henspotter]

Link isn't working and I'm on Imgur quite a lot. Not sure why it isn't

Hi just fixed it! Thanks for letting me know.

 

[Rose Quartz]

Hi just fixed it! Thanks for letting me know.

Np in the first vid right near the end that is a sneeze. Sounds more like she has something stuck in her nose than an illness. Especially with the whistling.

(This coming from someone who just tested positive for infectious bronchitis in their flock.)

Hopefully she'll be able to clear it.

 

[Rose Quartz]

I couldn't see her feet very well but on her left foot ankle area the scales do look a bit roughed up.

 

[henspotter]

Np in the first vid right near the end that is a sneeze. Sounds more like she has something stuck in her nose than an illness. Especially with the whistling.

(This coming from someone who just tested positive for infectious bronchitis in their flock.)

Hopefully she'll be able to clear it.

Oh wow ok! What kind of thing could be stuck up there? I haven't come across any info on this yet so I'm wondering what the course of action would be? Is it to just let it pass? Her attitude just worries me a bit.

 

[henspotter]

I couldn't see her feet very well but on her left foot ankle area the scales do look a bit roughed up.

You're correct! They are! Maybe I can try to post a better pic tomorrow. Do you think that's an indication of anything that has to do with her sneezing/breathing?

 

[Rose Quartz]

You're correct! They are! Maybe I can try to post a better pic tomorrow. Do you think that's an indication of anything that has to do with her sneezing/breathing?

No, but possibly leg mites.

Oh wow ok! What kind of thing could be stuck up there? I haven't come across any info on this yet so I'm wondering what the course of action would be? Is it to just let it pass? Her attitude just worries me a bit.

I'm not sure, could be food, or grass, or dirt. Check her nares and the roof of her mouth see if you can see anything. You might need an assistant to get a decent look inside her mouth.

 

[henspotter]

No, but possibly leg mites.


I'm not sure, could be food, or grass, or dirt. Check her nares and the roof of her mouth see if you can see anything. You might need an assistant to get a decent look inside her mouth.

I'm gonna go through scaly leg mite treatment tomorrow and will do what you suggested! I've been doing a lot more research and found a thread that was discussing treatment for when a chicken has some stuck in the nose or throat. I'm not sure which one it is, but there was a lot of luck with giving their chicken a small piece of bread dipped in olive oil so I'm gonna try that first and cross my fingers that that will help. Thank you so much for your help! Trying to pinpoint what's wrong with your chicken isn't easy but once you get some sort of direction it makes it a lot easier so your help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Rose Quartz]

I'm gonna go through scaly leg mite treatment tomorrow and will do what you suggested! I've been doing a lot more research and found a thread that was discussing treatment for when a chicken has some stuck in the nose or throat. I'm not sure which one it is, but there was a lot of luck with giving their chicken a small piece of bread dipped in olive oil so I'm gonna try that first and cross my fingers that that will help. Thank you so much for your help! Trying to pinpoint what's wrong with your chicken isn't easy but once you get some sort of direction it makes it a lot easier so your help is greatly appreciated!

Not a problem. Hope she gets better quick.