Please help!

[azygous]

I agree with @Farmrasta that this isn't something to be concerned about. I have one chicken that has always done this, and she's now getting up into the matronly category.

 

[Wickedchicken6]

How would I know if it was a heart issue? We don’t have a vet anywhere close that will see chickens unfortunately so anytime an issue occurs I have to do what I can to fix it myself. We’ve been pretty lucky so far but her panting has just made me so nervous. And yes I have thoroughly checked for any type of mite or parasite!

An issue with the heart can present itself in various ways. When the heart has issues, the systems in the body don't work at peak performance. Slowly over time the systems become more and more taxed; oxygenated blood isn't provided as readily, digestion can slow, filtering organs do not work as efficiently, cell rejuvenation slows, cell death and byproducts fail to be completely cleared from the system. This puts additional strain on already-taxed systems. In humans, diuretics may be used to prevent fluid buildup in the body and lungs but infections can become more prevalent and severe, pneumonia becomes a concern as does hypoxia. It is much the same with a chicken. The bird may become listless, suffer from inappetence, look unthrifty, it may separate from the flock, or change its common behavior. Sometimes signs aren't obvious and the bird suddenly dies. Generally, if the rest of the flock is the picture of health, and one bird begins to fail...there isn't much one can do. The bird can be separated and given special treatment as long as it isn't suffering. But that comes with it's own concerns/drawbacks as well.

However, I agree with Eggcessive. It can be prohibitively expensive to involve a vet and nothing may be discovered. Your bird looks normal and healthy. She appears to be bright-eyed and acting like a chicken should be acting. She isn't lagging or unthrifty. Her breathing may just be her. You're quick to notice things, which is good. As long as she appears healthy, active and acting normal, you probably don't have anything to worry about.

P.S. That's good mites aren't involved. In my experience, it goes both ways. Chickens can have mites and that can cause issues. However, I tend to find that a chicken will be more apt to succumb to mites when they aren't doing well. I check various birds in the flock at frequent intervals to make sure they're clean. However, if a bird presents outside of normal health parameters, I expect they require immediate de-miting; either their resistance is down or changes in behavior allowed an overabundance of mites to proliferate. (lack of dusting behavior or ground roosting)

 

[Candacestlouis]

An issue with the heart can present itself in various ways. When the heart has issues, the systems in the body don't work at peak performance. Slowly over time the systems become more and more taxed; oxygenated blood isn't provided as readily, digestion can slow, filtering organs do not work as efficiently, cell rejuvenation slows, cell death and byproducts fail to be completely cleared from the system. This puts additional strain on already-taxed systems. In humans, diuretics may be used to prevent fluid buildup in the body and lungs but infections can become more prevalent and severe, pneumonia becomes a concern as does hypoxia. It is much the same with a chicken. The bird may become listless, suffer from inappetence, look unthrifty, it may separate from the flock, or change its common behavior. Sometimes signs aren't obvious and the bird suddenly dies. Generally, if the rest of the flock is the picture of health, and one bird begins to fail...there isn't much one can do. The bird can be separated and given special treatment as long as it isn't suffering. But that comes with it's own concerns/drawbacks as well.

However, I agree with Eggcessive. It can be prohibitively expensive to involve a vet and nothing may be discovered. Your bird looks normal and healthy. She appears to be bright-eyed and acting like a chicken should be acting. She isn't lagging or unthrifty. Her breathing may just be her. You're quick to notice things, which is good. As long as she appears healthy, active and acting normal, you probably don't have anything to worry about.

P.S. That's good mites aren't involved. In my experience, it goes both ways. Chickens can have mites and that can cause issues. However, I tend to find that a chicken will be more apt to succumb to mites when they aren't doing well. I check various birds in the flock at frequent intervals to make sure they're clean. However, if a bird presents outside of normal health parameters, I expect they require immediate de-miting; either their resistance is down or changes in behavior allowed an overabundance of mites to proliferate. (lack of dusting behavior or ground roosting)

Thank you for being so informative! She really is perfectly fine in all other aspects so I’m going to go with the idea that she’s just different but I’m glad I know I can come here if I need further assistance!

 

[Wickedchicken6]

Thank you for being so informative! She really is perfectly fine in all other aspects so I’m going to go with the idea that she’s just different but I’m glad I know I can come here if I need further assistance!

That's fantastic she's still fine in all other aspects. Wishing the best of health to your flock! Experience is a good teacher. There is a wealth of knowledge on BYC.