Open mouth breathing and holding wings away from body

[JD-70]

I noticed today that one of my hens, a 6-month old EE/leghorn mix (Rachel), is open-mouth breathing and seems to be holding her wings away from her body. I didn't see any obvious injuries or other signs of illness and she is the only one in my flock exhibiting this behavior. It's also a cloudy, breezy, 77 degree day today, so she's not too hot. She otherwise appears perfectly healthy and is out and about with the rest of my chickens foraging, eating, and drinking. She's also still laying eggs (as of yesterday, at least). Is this cause for concern? What might be causing her to behave this way and what should I do for her? I've attached a picture of her in case that might help.

Thank you!

 

[chickenlittle21]

I have a 6 month old chicken that does the same thing. I don't think you should worry unless she starts bleeding or stops laying. She may be stressed though.

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. That is how chickens cool off. I had a very overweight brahma hen who looked like that often. What are you feeding your chickens? Do they get a lot of treats? Is there plenty of shade and several water stations?

 

[JD-70]

Welcome to BYC. That is how chickens cool off. I had a very overweight brahma hen who looked like that often. What are you feeding your chickens? Do they get a lot of treats? Is there plenty of shade and several water stations?

It doesn't seem that hot, but perhaps she's a little more sensitive to the heat than the others. They do have several shade and water options while they're out in the backyard. They're getting layer feed along with scratch and sometimes worms as a treat. They also eat a lot of grass, leaves, and bugs throughout the day. Thanks for the words of wisdom!

 

[Eggcessive]

Scratch has a lot of calories and probably should be limited. It is like eating candy to them, and I have a few huge Marans who will knock everyone out of the way to get more than their share of scratch or treats. The chicken feed should be at least 90% of their intake.