Rooster has air under skin on chest and has difficulty swallowing

[Katie Scarlet]

A little history, on Feb 5th 2018 something must have attacked my flock injuring 2 hens and my rooster. One hen died a few days later, the other hen had a leg injury and has healed to just a limp. And my rooster shakes his head like he is trying to swallow, he gurgles and his chest area is filled with air under the skin. He had a pretty big bruise on the right side of his breast when I first checked him over and I have drained the air several times but it fills back up pretty fast which is what I am thinking is causing him to have problems swallowing with the pressure of the air. He is eating, drinking and foraging pretty much like normal but he is loosing weight and i think that is because he can not eat as much as he should. So this has been going on for well over a month and no sign that it is going away, my question is does anyone have experience with something like this? I tried to upload a video but it is to large I don't know how to make it smaller to share.
Thanks

 

[PirateGirl]

This sounds like a crop issue. Perhaps do a search on BYC of common crop problems in chickens and how to treat them. Hopefully someone else who has successfully treated crop problems in their flock will come along soon and give you some guidance.

 

[Katie Scarlet]

This sounds like a crop issue. Perhaps do a search on BYC of common crop problems in chickens and how to treat them. Hopefully someone else who has successfully treated crop problems in their flock will come along soon and give you some guidance.

Yes I thought that also but the air under the skin makes me suspect it’s from an injury. Thanks for responding.

A little history, on Feb 5th 2018 something must have attacked my flock injuring 2 hens and my rooster. One hen died a few days later, the other hen had a leg injury and has healed to just a limp. And my rooster shakes his head like he is trying to swallow, he gurgles and his chest area is filled with air under the skin. He had a pretty big bruise on the right side of his breast when I first checked him over and I have drained the air several times but it fills back up pretty fast which is what I am thinking is causing him to have problems swallowing with the pressure of the air. He is eating, drinking and foraging pretty much like normal but he is loosing weight and i think that is because he can not eat as much as he should. So this has been going on for well over a month and no sign that it is going away, my question is does anyone have experience with something like this
Thanks

 

[Katie Scarlet]

It seems like a crop issue but would that cause him to have air under his skin accumulating?

 

[BantyChooks]

Sounds like a ruptured/pierced air sack.

 

[Katie Scarlet]

Sounds like a ruptured/pierced air sack.

That is what I am thinking myself. will it heal? its been over 6 weeks since he was injured. What can I do to help him?

 

[BantyChooks]

That is what I am thinking myself. will it heal? its been over 6 weeks since he was injured. What can I do to help him?

That I don't know, my apologies. @casportpony ? Sorry to bug you but this sounds like something more on your level.

 

[casportpony]

Sounds like a ruptured/pierced air sack.

That is what I am thinking myself. will it heal? its been over 6 weeks since he was injured. What can I do to help him?

One can poke the skin with a needle to let the air out.

 

[Tiana's chickens]

So what's happened is that the air sac has been torn during the attack. You need to keep draining the air out so the airsac can heal. You may need to drain it multiple times a day if necessary.
I found a video that will help, I know it's a pigeon but pigeons and chickens are very similar internally so it will be much the same

Hopefully the link works. I wish you all the best

 

[Katie Scarlet]

One can poke the skin with a needle to let the air out.

I have had to do that repeatedly for a couple weeks and it refills.