Wheezing rooster that appears healthy

[cukooformarans]

I have a turken rooster that I estimate to be 14-16 weeks old. He is heavy as a brick with a healthy gloss to his solid black feathers. His eyes are clear and alert and he is the dominant rooster of three his age, so very active. I let them out yesterday to free range, which I normally do with my birds but they have been up for about a week to get them acclimated to a pen, and he tried to roost in a tree instead of the pen. I had to catch him so that a possum or raccoon wouldn't. When I did catch him, I noticed he was wheezing. I haven't noticed any cough or sneeze, just the wheezing sound. My husband said he made the same sound when he was chasing one of my other roosters. I went out again last night and listened and he didn't seem to be as bad when he was relaxed. I also didn't hear it in the other birds. Since he appears so healthy and is the heaviest bird I have (so he must be eating and drinking well, right?) I am wondering what this could be. If we need to cull him we can- I don't want to keep a contagious bird that could be a carrier, but he appears so healthy so I wanted to check here first. Any ideas??

ETA He is also just starting to crow. His crow sounds like a strangled cat, but then so has every rooster we have had when just beginning to crow. Lol

 

[cukooformarans]

I just checked again this morning. He doesn't seem to make the noise when he is not excited-chasing something etc.

 

[cukooformarans]

There has been bo more of the "wheezing" sound. He is still the healthiest and heaviest rooster among his peers- I am wondering if the sound I was hearing was his puberty voice... Lol

 

[tmlpike]

I'm no expert, but here's what I think.
Is he tired or exhausted from running? I had some roosters, and when I tried to catch one of them, he kept on running away. When I did catch him and picked him up, his mouth was open. I think this was from exhaution.

Your rooster could possibly be wheezing because he's having trouble breathing. Is the weather really hot where you live? If so, make sure he gets enough fluids.

Once again, I'm not an expert and I may not be correct. But it's just something to think about

I hope he gets better, and sorry I couldn't have helped more! <3

 

[cukooformarans]

Thanks so much for your response! You are probably right. We only heard it when he was running - when I had to catch him to put him in the pen and when he was chasing another rooster. It is gone now. And we are in Alabama- so this time of year is hot and humid.

 

[tmlpike]

I hope he's okay! It's good that the wheezing has gone away. The hot and humid weather probably makes it harder to breath. Keep me updated so I know he's alright

 

[CedarAcres]

I'm having a similar issue with one of mine.. wheezing but seems perfectly healthy. I brought her inside for isolation, and she stopped wheezing! But I was able to induce the wheezing by getting her over excited.

 

[cukooformarans]

I'm having a similar issue with one of mine.. wheezing but seems perfectly healthy. I brought her inside for isolation, and she stopped wheezing! But I was able to induce the wheezing by getting her over excited.

Sounds like what we were seeing. It has been 9 days though and no new symptoms. No more wheezing but I haven't been around him when he was overly excited since then either. No other birds caught wheezing and everybody looks totally healthy. I guess we will just keep watching. Let me know what happens with yours! Good luck!

 

[CedarAcres]

I just brought mine into my vet, who is an avian vet, and she said there was nothing wrong with her, that it was probably just a random thing or something stuck in her nose. So hopefully yours is the same thing!

 

[cukooformarans]

Great! I sure hope so- he still seems fine. The only vets around here seem to only treat dogs and cats and large animals- no avian vets and no goat vets.