Junky Cough?

[MadisonOde]

We just introduced a new pullet, but as soon as she was in there and we were watching she started junky coughing, like a smoker. She hadn’t been doing this when we picked her up (we watched her for a while), or in the car. Is she sick, or could it be a reaction to the bedding?

 

[azygous]

Was her crop full of food when you picked her up and handled her?

What is her history? Age, where she came from, how long you have had her before putting her in where? Coop or run or a crate? Are there other chickens? How old? Are they making a fuss over having a stranger among them?

Most important, is she still coughing?

 

[MadisonOde]

Was her crop full of food when you picked her up and handled her?

What is her history? Age, where she came from, how long you have had her before putting her in where? Coop or run or a crate? Are there other chickens? How old? Are they making a fuss over having a stranger among them?

Most important, is she still coughing?

Her crop was full of food, she is about 4 months old, she came from a very reputable APA breeder, we went to his farm to pick her up, all of the chickens looked healthy, she was in a crate for a couple weeks, I did not notice any sneezing while I was out there. We introduced her to my bantam Cochin who’s about 3 months old, and they did fine together.

 

[MadisonOde]

Right now her crop feels empty, but I’m also relatively new to this is so I could be wrong.

 

[MadisonOde]

She coughed a little this morning, it’s not constant, she is separated from everyone else.

 

[azygous]

If her crop was full of food when you picked her up and your hand put pressure on the crop just below her throat, it's normal for a little regurgitation to occur. Sometimes a bit can get taken part way into the trachea, and sometimes a bit of food can lodge there.

If she's continuing to cough, take a flashlight and look into her throat. It would be easier with a helper. The trachea is the opening in the very center of the throat while the esophagus is at the far right of the chicken's throat. (Her right side, not yours.) If you see something, you might be able to grab it with tweezers and remove it.

If you see nothing, and she continues to cough occasionally, that's normal and the coughing should eventually dislodge the foreign material.

Glad the introduction went smoothly and both girls will be best friends.

 

[MadisonOde]

Ok, I won’t be able to look until someone else gets home, but I’m sitting outside with her in the kennel and every so often she has a wet cough. Hopefully it is just food.

 

[MadisonOde]

Sometimes when she breathes it makes like a snoring sound, will that be ok for now?

 

[MadisonOde]

I uploaded a video of it because now I’m really worried.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It sounds like she has quite a bit of mucous. Do you have vet care?