Is my hen having breathing difficulties from old age or is she sick?

[ECrow]

I have a Buff Orpington hen who will be ten years old this spring and I'm beginning to grow concerned about her health.
She is still fairly agile - she'll come for foods, follow me around, occasionally bully the younger hens - but some days it sounds like she has breathing issues. I can hear her wheezing sometimes, but it doesn't happen everyday, which makes me wonder if its just old age problems, maybe from the weather. Do older hens get breathing problems? I've been raising chickens for over ten years, but I've never had a chicken reach ten years before, so I'm not sure what to expect.
I notice her breathing issues most when I hold her, so I try not to do it too often, but she loves being held so its hard to resist it. When I've noticed the problems, I'll either just hear a faint wheezing, or I'll see her open and close her beak when she breathes. She's had a few injuries over the years - cuts from over enthusiastic roosters, a stressful run in with a raccoon when she was young, an unknown wing injury that resulted in her holding her one wing slightly higher than the other - but nothing that I'm aware could have done long lasting injury on her lungs.
Are their illnesses I should be worried about, or is this just an age issue? Are their ways I can make things easier for her?
Any advice is greatly appreciated!! Thanks.

 

[cate1124]

I have a Buff Orpington hen who will be ten years old this spring and I'm beginning to grow concerned about her health.
She is still fairly agile - she'll come for foods, follow me around, occasionally bully the younger hens - but some days it sounds like she has breathing issues. I can hear her wheezing sometimes, but it doesn't happen everyday, which makes me wonder if its just old age problems, maybe from the weather. Do older hens get breathing problems? I've been raising chickens for over ten years, but I've never had a chicken reach ten years before, so I'm not sure what to expect.
I notice her breathing issues most when I hold her, so I try not to do it too often, but she loves being held so its hard to resist it. When I've noticed the problems, I'll either just hear a faint wheezing, or I'll see her open and close her beak when she breathes. She's had a few injuries over the years - cuts from over enthusiastic roosters, a stressful run in with a raccoon when she was young, an unknown wing injury that resulted in her holding her one wing slightly higher than the other - but nothing that I'm aware could have done long lasting injury on her lungs.
Are their illnesses I should be worried about, or is this just an age issue? Are their ways I can make things easier for her?
Any advice is greatly appreciated!! Thanks.

10 years old! That's wonderful. This sounds to me like "just" old age, though there is no "just" in facing the loss of a loved animal. I had a black Australorp who, at 7, declined with apparent respiratory issues -- becoming less active, breathing more labored -- over a period of months before dying. It might have been an avian version of congestive heart failure.

I wish you could make aging and dying easier for your girl -- I wish you could make it easier for all of us -- but I think the best you can do is keep caring for and loving her. And prepare yourself as is possible for her decline, including whether you will want to allow her to go naturally or consider euthanasia, should her quality of life become greatly diminished. Good luck! She has had a terrific long life with you; not many hens get such a good run.

 

[Eggcessive]

Can you feel of her lower belly between her legs to check if it is enlarged or tight from fluid (ascites?) Is her crop emptying overnight?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I notice her breathing issues most when I hold her, so I try not to do it too often, but she loves being held so its hard to resist it. When I've noticed the problems, I'll either just hear a faint wheezing,

Could be if you only notice it when holding her, either her air sacs are being pressed on or she may have a little fluid in the abdomen, a full crop when being held, etc.

Awww! You may have to change the way you hold her. Instead of carrying her around, place her on a table and let her stand, then you can pull her to you and snuggle. This may help with her breathing and not put pressure on her abdomen.
Or if you really can only hold her in your arms, try supporting her abdomen with a hand and see if that makes a difference.

https://hencam.com/henblog/2013/11/caring-for-feeble-old-hens/

 

[ECrow]

Thank you all so much for your replies! Other than her breathing, she has no other conditions, so I believe it probably is just old age. She seems to be doing okay though, so I’ll continue to watch her and try to make her as comfortable as possible