Weezing, honking chicken noises -- air sac mites?

[Neilette]

Please help!

When she breathes, my 9 month old Ameraucana pullet is making an audible "hoooonk" noise. It sound like a sad harmonica.

When I picked her up to investigate, the noise stopped because she was holding her breath and breathing shallow. When she walks around she continues making the noise. It's quite loud, enough to think at first that she was doing it on purpose.

What could it be??

 

[purpletree23]

I had never heard of air sac mites before so I googled it and looked at my two favorite books regarding chicken health and diseases. From what I could gather air sac mites infect exotic birds. Google gave me that information. My chicken health books did not mention them.

If I am wrong BYC'ers please correct me.

IMHO I think your hen has something stuck in her airway. It makes a noise when she breathes but shifts position when you hold her and when she breaths it doesn't make the noise anymore. The next time you are with her see if you can determine if the noise is coming from deep in her body or up near her throat. Maybe a little massage will work it free if it is in her throat.

You can always consult a vet.

 

[Neilette]

Thanks for the reply.

This morning she was back to normal.

I shall keep an eye on her, but from what you said I won't worry too much.

 

[purpletree23]

I hope it was just something stuck and it's moved along. I love my girls to death but sometimes they drive me crazy with odd things like this.

Fingers crossed!

 

[TreeHugger]

I purchased feed one time and instead of selling me crumbles they sold me mash. The mash was ground up really fine and after feeding them a few of the girls ran around making that honking noise you are describing. I always made sure I never got mash after that. I don't know if they were breathing in the dust from the mash or if it got stuck in their throats. Mine were fine although they didn't sound good.

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

I have a hen that honks exactly like that and has been doing it for months. Drives me crazy! I have looked her over and cannot find anything wrong with her at all. Whatever it is does not affect her health...just my sanity.