Can chickens faint?

[mosaicmama]

We took our chicken into the vet today to have her beak trimmed (she has a crossed beak). They were holding her and getting ready to trim it when she started to struggle against them and was getting freaked out. She closed her eyes, started tipping her head down and her comb turned a dark purple. The vet said she was holding her breath. It was scary to watch and luckily she eventually perked back up. Is it possible for a chicken to faint during a stressful situation?

 

[foreverlearning]

Yes it is physically possible and if they stress too much they can have a heart attack. I would look into things to sooth her for next time. You could try to keep her in a dark travel cage, schedule the apt early in the morning, cover her eyes with a towel, and hold her so that you are holding her wings down firmly but not hurting her. For mine, I tuck my hand under their belly with one wing against my body and the other against my arm and talk to them to get them to calm down before anything I have to do. See if you can get her used to having you hold her for short times without freaking out (if she doesn't already do it) and next time ask the vet if you can hold her instead of them. It may just be what keeps her calm.