Juvenile hen’s face inflates when breathing

[The Welch Chickens]

I noticed today that my 2 1/2 month Australorp breathes weirdly. Her face puffs in and out as she takes a breath. None of my other chickens do this. Should I be concerned?
I’ve read a few threads with the same issue, but none seem to have a straight answer as to why it happens or what to do.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Do you have respiratory illness within your flock(s)?

Likely it's respiratory infection, but hard to know.

You can try treating with Tylosin to see if that helps.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Do you have respiratory illness within your flock(s)?

We are trying to integrate flock 2 (they're 2 1/2 months old) into flock 1 (over a year old). This chick is part of flock 2.

Flock 2 had a respiratory infection (caused by drafts and pine shavings) when they were babies. They all recovered. I used Echinacea extract, VetRX, and this: https://www.mikesfalconry.com/produ...in-treating-respiratory-and-related-diseases/
I changed the shavings to hemp and blocked drafts, too, of course.

Never had any respiratory issues with flock 1.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

By the way, I noticed she was doing this yesterday, but I'd never really looked at her breathing before. She might have done this for a while (since birth, even), but I can't be sure.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Stressful times is when you may see symptoms of respiratory illness if your flock is carriers of disease.
Hopefully she will not get worse, but if she does, then you may want to treat like you did the last time.

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Stressful times is when you may see symptoms of respiratory illness if your flock is carriers of disease.

Interesting.
Would you recommend I do a dose of that Doxy-Tylan just in case? I still have some.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Interesting.
Would you recommend I do a dose of that Doxy-Tylan just in case? I still have some.

Up to you.

Hopefully she will not get worse, but if she does, then you may want to treat like you did the last time.

Likely it's respiratory infection, but hard to know.

You can try treating with Tylosin to see if that helps.

 

[Cristyloks]

Curious if you treated or if this is still happening! I have an 8 week old chick that I just noticed this happening with. No other signs of distress and no other chick seems to have the same thing going on (there's 6 of them.) They are currently indoors in a large brooder with pine shavings and an air filter I've kept with them, but I don't know if I'm just noticing it now or if it's always done this!

 

[The Welch Chickens]

Curious if you treated or if this is still happening! I have an 8 week old chick that I just noticed this happening with. No other signs of distress and no other chick seems to have the same thing going on (there's 6 of them.) They are currently indoors in a large brooder with pine shavings and an air filter I've kept with them, but I don't know if I'm just noticing it now or if it's always done this!

Sorry for the slow reply!

She’s still breathing like that, even with two kinds of medicine given. She acts perfectly fine in every other way. I guess it’s just something some chickens do!

 

[Cristyloks]

That's reassuring to know!! I wondered if maybe it was just a facial structure thing at all with some. Mine acts and breathes perfectly normal otherwise!