Rooster having trouble breathing!

[ChickenLover2007]

I have a 2 year old cuckoo silkie rooster who is having trouble breathing. Whenever he runs around or crows he sounds out of breath. He isn’t gasping for air but his breathing is raspy. Non of my other chickens are showing any symptoms of it so I am thinking it is not contagious. I keep him outside during the day so that he can get some fresh air. He doesn’t act sick though he runs around and seems pretty healthy. He has been like this for about 2 months and it hasn’t changed a bit. Does anyone know what I should do?

 

[azygous]

You need to examine his throat and inside of his mouth for anything other than clean pink tissue. It sounds like he has an obstruction near his trachea. Use a strong flashlight and look for plaques, blisters, swelling and any sign of worms in his throat.

 

[Eggcessive]

Has he been around mold anywhere in the coop or run? Have you had all your birds all of their lives, or have you added birds over time or recently?

 

[ChickenLover2007]

Has he been around mold anywhere in the coop or run? Have you had all your birds all of their lives, or have you added birds over time or recently?

I have had him since he was 5 months old. There is no mould in my chicken coop. I have added some hens to the flock but this was 6 months ago.

 

[Eggcessive]

Have you noticed any sneezing, crackles, or wheezing? Any watery/bubbly eye or nasal drainage?

 

[ChickenLover2007]

You need to examine his throat and inside of his mouth for anything other than clean pink tissue. It sounds like he has an obstruction near his trachea. Use a strong flashlight and look for plaques, blisters, swelling and any sign of worms in his throat.

I examined his throat and their is no black spots in it or anything it is all pink.

 

[ChickenLover2007]

Have you noticed any sneezing, crackles, or wheezing? Any watery/bubbly eye or nasal drainage?

He sneezes every once in a while and he wheezes after he runs around a lot. I haven't noticed any watery or bubly eyes or any nasal drainage.

 

[azygous]

Is he behaving normally overall?

I'm suspecting he has a defect in his syrinx. That would be his "crow or voice box" located at the base of his larynx, though it's not box shaped. It's connected to his lungs and respiratory system. I've noticed when my roosters crow, sometimes there's "leftover" air that passes over the syrinx, producing a wheezing sound. I used to have asthma as a kid so I am familiar with wheezing, and it does sound like my rooster has a breathing problem when I hear this.

If a rooster has a breathing problem, he will not be getting adequate oxygen, and that can manifest in a purple comb. Does your rooster's comb ever turn darker and dusky purple when you hear this wheezing? If not, perhaps my theory of a slight defect in his syrinx could be the explanation and the wheezing isn't a respiratory problem at all.

 

[ChickenLover2007]

Is he behaving normally overall?

I'm suspecting he has a defect in his syrinx. That would be his "crow or voice box" located at the base of his larynx, though it's not box shaped. It's connected to his lungs and respiratory system. I've noticed when my roosters crow, sometimes there's "leftover" air that passes over the syrinx, producing a wheezing sound. I used to have asthma as a kid so I am familiar with wheezing, and it does sound like my rooster has a breathing problem when I hear this.

If a rooster has a breathing problem, he will not be getting adequate oxygen, and that can manifest in a purple comb. Does your rooster's comb ever turn darker and dusky purple when you hear this wheezing? If not, perhaps my theory of a slight defect in his syrinx could be the explanation and the wheezing isn't a respiratory problem at all.

My roosters comb has never darkened or turned purple. He behaves pretty normally too.

 

[ChickenLover2007]

This is a picture of him.

It’s been raining a lot were I live that is why it is so muddy.