Wheezing hen

[LisaLu]

Help please, my 7mth old hen started wheezing after a breakfast of fresh spinach, watermelon, hot dog buns and feed. She seemed to have something in her throat. She drank water ok, then went into the corner of the coop, and closed her eyes, standing up, and her head was up. She seemed to be having a hard time breathing.
I've read that olive oil soaked bread is good for their digestion, could that be the problem?
Should I be worried?
Please help, I know nothing about chickens, and I don't want my ignorance to hurt them. I'm so glad I found this site! I look forward to learning all I need to. I am so amazed with their personalities, I've fallen in love! I even decorated my Christmas tree in chickens and roosters! It is a contagious state of mind!
Thanks,
LisaLu

 

[BeckyLa]

I put ACV (apple cider vinegar) in their drinking water when mine have wheezing problems. About one tablespoon for a gallon of water. It is possible she just got something caught, mine do when they get piggy and eat too fast. Hopefully she'll just clear it on her own. For now, add the acv to her water and keep an eye on her. If she's not better in the morning, I'd get concerned.

 

[redhen]

how is she now?

 

[LisaLu]

I was able to hold her for about 10 minutes, she is still having a hard time. She opens her beek on the exhale. I noticed she was itching her nose area, could she be allergic to straw? We just put a bunch in the coop. Her eyes still look clear, and she's eating everything so she can't be that sick, right?
I'll go back out and give them the apple cider vinegar, it's good for just about everything isn't it!?!
It got cold for us last night, it was about 35, I know that will make a few of you laugh, but for us here in Southern California, that's cold. Are the chickens able to keep each other warm enough? They are in a beautiful new coop with a completely covered back room, and a sun porch out front. I'd post a picture, but I don't know how on this site.
Thanks for the input!
LisaLu

 

[LisaLu]

lala:
I am guessing that something is in her throat because she moves like she's trying to swallow something big. I was feeling around her neck, and there is a ball, the size of a marble, in her throat, near the top. Is that normal for a large chicken?

 

[speckledhen]

Mine often will choke momentarily on bread if it isn't broken into small enough pieces and they're trying to keep it away from each other. Something is probably stuck.

 

[cheeptrick]

If you have grit...I'd give it to her....if you do not...let her scratch around in the dirt and hopefully she'll take care of it herself.

 

[funonahonda]

Smell her nostril holes to see if they smell like dead animal, a few of my chickens came down with this where they couldn't open there eyes and there nostril holes smelled like dead animal and it always looked like they were opening there mouths and stretching there necks like something was in there throats, I got on here and described the symptoms and someone on here told what it was and said that I better cull all the chickens with these symptoms before it spreads to the others because that spreads fast. The best of luck, and always remember that everyone on here is your friend and we all will be here for ya.

 

[LisaLu]

Sorry, but I'm not sure I understand...what does "cull" mean?

 

[redhen]

Cull means kill....