Open mouth??

[DarleneE]

Can anyone tell me what it means or WHY a chicken keeps opening it's beak?? My 14 week old Easter Egger always does this?? My Barred Rock does it too sometimes but the Easter Egger just always is doing this. I thought maybe she was thirsty but the water was right there for her and she WAS aware of it being there.. I think it's very strange and am worried about it.

 

[TheEggCollecter]

Is her mouth constantly moving and does it look like she is gasping for air?

 

[DarleneE]

NO I don't think so.. sometimes she does breathe a little fast but she's definitely NOT gasping for air. She just has her mouth open?? She seems to do it a lot when I'm holding her so I was thinking that maybe she gets nervous or a little stressed?? She seems fine otherwise?? She's what I call my "jumper" cause she loves to be up high. She jumps up on the chairs and table in our lanai when I have the two out running around in the lanai everyday for awhile or mainly on those days I should say, when I'm unable to take them out to their pen in the backyard. It's very weird. She's ALWAYS done this.. even when she was tiny!!??

 

[TheEggCollecter]

Ok, if she is nit gasping for air or moving her head back in forth I wouldn't worry about it. It could be some WIERD behavior. Although, if she begins to gasp or shake her head she could have worms. I have lost a hen to this before, the worm is in the throat and makes breathing very hard so they keep there mouth open, gasp for air, and shake there head. When they do this they act lethargic and dont eat or drink. If she is still acting like her normal self than she is fine.

Hope this Helps!
TheEggCollecter

 

[DarleneE]

Ooooh thank you SO much!! I am definitely going to keep my eye on her then though cause that sounds very scary!! I'm a first time chicken owner and only have these two precious girls and if something were to happen to either of them I'd TOTALLY flip out!! But NO she's anything BUT lethargic!! In fact she's always running and jumping up on things!! Even IN their coop she's forever jumping up on the feeder and drinker!! She's a REAL character!! Thanks again!!

 

[off-grid hen]

She could just be panting if she's hot or nervous. Keep an eye on her and let us know.

 

[DarleneE]

YES I think that's what it is.. but I will do that. Thank you!!

 

[DarleneE]

Dumb question.. but here goes anyway. Do chickens like to get wet to cool down? Like if I were to get one of those tiny baby pools and put just a little bit of water in it.. would they like to splash around a little in it??.. or do they NOT go near water??

 

[DarleneE]

Btw.. we're in Florida so it gets VERY hot here!!.. ALL the time too!!

 

[DarleneE]

Lastly, they're actually 16 wks old now. They were INDOORS in a temp coop until they were about 12 wks old because my husband didn't have their coop ready until then. So the very first time or two that I took them outside.. they BOTH had their mouths wide open and they WERE panting cause they weren't used to the heat since they'd been used to being only in air condition!! I had to run them back inside immediately!! Then I started taking them out to the lanai ONLY where it was cooler than the yard yet NOT air condition and THAT'S how I gradually got them used to being outdoors!! I'm wondering if she's STILL just too hot outdoors period?? Their coop is inside a screened lanai and has a wood floor covered with vinyl and then pine shavings on top of that. I take them out to peck on grass two or three times a week and the OTHER days I let them out to run around in the lanai, which they seem to REALLY LOVE!! I DON'T leave them outside in the yard because my husband still has not built me something for them to get inside of for protection from aerial predators! He's fenced in a big area of the yard for them to be safe in for me though. SO for now I must sit out there with them as I just will NOT leave them alone until he builds them a tractor or a little house of some kind!! Their coop is 10' X 3' as well, so they're able to move around in it pretty well since its just TWO of them.. and their roost and nest box are both upstairs. It's real cute! Thanks to everyone who can answer my dumb questions and give me any better ideas.. if any??