# Hen breathing weird?



## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

I've had hens for about 8 years now and never a single problem (other than death by dogs or old age). However, last night, one of my hens (not that old, maybe 3, still laying regularly) was acting really weird. This was after roosting time. She kept going back and forth between two adjacent nest boxes, where she would sit with her head up slightly breathing heavy. She was making a gurgling sound when doing this, and sort of coughing or sneezing, almost like something was stuck in her throat or something... though the gurgle made it sound like something else. She was also rocking her back end up and down a little, so I thought MAYBE she was having a hard time with an egg... but that wouldn't explain the gurgle. Her crop appears normal, except there is a noticeable "dimple" in the middle of it, which is odd. Basically a crease in her feathers. 

Honestly, I didn't get to look her over very well - I noticed this while milking the goats and then got called into the house because pie drippage had set off the smoke alarm. By the time I got everything taken care of, I'd forgotten all about poor ol' Dutchess. 

So this morning, I was hoping to NOT find a dead bird. And I didn't. She was out with the others, acting normal, breathing normal. There were no eggs in the boxes she had been sitting it - but there usually isn't - they all generally lay in only two of the 5 available boxes. So I'm not sure if she laid an egg or not.

Has anyone experienced this? If it's something I need to treat, I'd like to know that. Maybe she was just slightly eggbound... or had gotten something stuck weird in her throat or crop... but I just want to try to make sure it isn't something more serious. Cant seem to find much online.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Sounds like whatever was wrong cleared up. Hopefully she is just back to normal.


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

Hope so. It was a really weird noise she was making, and just seemed really uncomfortable.


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Keep an ear out for it again....if she does sound raspy or gurgling, she needs antibiotics. I can help you with that if she is sick. Hope it was nothing but for sure check her tonight....


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

So, she was fine earlier in the evening... and seemed ok at first when I went out to milk (she was already roosted). I took the opportunity to take a closer look, everything felt ok, though she seems a bit skinny. She was breathing and acting normal at that time. However, she started up again as soon as I started milking - so I dont know if my manipulating her crop/mouth/neck irritated something that had calmed down, or what. But she continued doing it the rest of the time I was out there... labored breathing (ie. you could see her breaths, whereas I couldn't with my other hens), grunting, shaking her head as if a sneeze or cough, holding her head pointed upward to breathe. 

I notice this morning she seems a little weak. Not majorly... but just walking a bit awkward. She came over to the feed, but I didn't see her actually eat. She's not a young bird, but I believe she's still laying (in general, I dont know if she's laying these past couple days) and is certainly younger than some of my birds. 

What antibiotic would I start off with, and how would I administer it? I know PenG is available at our feed store, and I think one other - though perhaps there's more in the poultry section? I'm not sure any vet around here would give me anything without an exam, and frankly I'm not going to spend that much on a bird that's already "aging out" of her purpose. Also, it doesn't seem that anyone else has any symptoms of this (hopefully it stays that way)... but would I still need to treat everyone? Suppose I should probably crate her when I get home, until she's either better or... not.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

It sounds as if something is stuck in her throat/gizzard. And her being skinny might be because she's not eating due to the object blocking the way. I'd take a closer look....


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## GoatieGranny (Jul 26, 2013)

I agree that she probably has something caught in there. If you gently rub on it awhile, it often helps work it out. Is she getting enough grit?


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

They're free-range, so I've never supplemented with grit. But I certainly could. They do get oyster shell free choice. Maybe I should have left her alone last night if that's the case... since it didn't seem to flare back up till AFTER I'd massaged her crop a bit. :/


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Have you dewormed recently? She may also have gapeworm. Do a google search and see if she is doing something similar....


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## FarmerJen (Oct 18, 2012)

I have never wormed them either. I sound so neglectful!  I just try to do things as naturally as possible - I've never seen any worms, so I've never wormed.

Looking online at videos, it COULD be gapeworm... the breathing is similar, but she doesn't do it all the time and she's far noisier about it. She only does it at night. And she seems much more lethargic than most of the videos show. She's still up and around... but she's slow and... I dunno... cautious? It's obvious she doesn't feel well. The videos all show silent breathing too, or a little raspy. She's almost clucking as she does it, like she's trying to clear her throat or sneeze. But again... she doesnt do it during the day, only when she's roosted. Nobody else is showing any signs of problems.

I'll try to get a video tonight, and will pick up some antibiotics today. Hopefully someone can let me know if I can use ivomec, if not, I'll grab some Safeguard too. 

Can I use ivomec on them, or should I get some Safeguard (lurking on backyard chickens, I see several people recommend that). I already have ivomec, so would prefer that if it'll work. Might as well worm everyone since I never have... do I need to withhold eggs? Would imagine not if I can use ivomec, since I believe folks here said there's no need to withhold milk, as it's used on humans in other countries.

EDIT: Googled it and it looks like I can use ivomec orally. It doesn't specify for gapeworm... but if it's a dewormer and the worm is in the trachea... seems like any oral wormer would probably do the trick. Do ya'll know if I need to withhold the eggs? I dont mind ingesting a little human-safe wormer myself... better safe than sorry!


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## NubianFan (Jun 3, 2013)

Could be a chicken choker. I dont know if you have those in Washington state but we have them here. They are bugs that if a chicken mistakenly eat they lodge in their throat and unfortunately usually kills the bird.


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