Chicken sneezing and having trouble breathing

[The Easter Egger Inn]

Hello, I have a hen who is about a year old. Recently, I noticed she was sneezing quite a bit. That same day, I noticed she looked to be having trouble breathing with very labored breaths while roosting for the night. I brought her inside and she quickly went back to breathing normally. The next day, she seemed fine so I put her back with the flock, but that night, she was having trouble breathing again. Does anyone have a similar experience/any advice as to how I can help her?

 

[dawg53]

It's possible it might be ammonia fumes from soiled bedding inside the coop and/or improper ventilation. A coop clean out might be in order.
Also, inhalation of feed dust or dust from dust bathing could be a problem. Pollen, insecticides, lawn fertilizer are issues, mold or mildew inside the coop can cause big problems as well.

 

[The Easter Egger Inn]

It's possible it might be ammonia fumes from soiled bedding inside the coop and/or improper ventilation. A coop clean out might be in order.
Also, inhalation of feed dust or dust from dust bathing could be a problem. Pollen, insecticides, lawn fertilizer are issues, mold or mildew inside the coop can cause big problems as well.

Thank you for the reply! We have sand inside the coop making it easy for me to quickly clean each day… I wonder if you are right about the ventilation. It has been unseasonable cold here, so in an attempt to keep drafts off the flock I ended up reducing ventilation. I will see about adding more today.

 

[dawg53]

I have sand in all my coops and pens too, even in some of the nest boxes lol.
I'm in northest Florida, it was 27 outside earlier. I cover the vents on the coops with old towels to prevent drafts on the windward side of coops. The vents on the leeward side are uncovered.

 

[The Easter Egger Inn]

I have sand in all my coops and pens too, even in some of the nest boxes lol.
I'm in northest Florida, it was 27 outside earlier. I cover the vents on the coops with old towels to prevent drafts on the windward side of coops. The vents on the leeward side are uncovered.

I have sand in all my coops and pens too, even in some of the nest boxes lol.
I'm in northest Florida, it was 27 outside earlier. I cover the vents on the coops with old towels to prevent drafts on the windward side of coops. The vents on the leeward side are uncovered.

That’s awesome! I will try that for sure. I just can’t think of any other reason why she’s be perfectly fine during the day, but struggling so much at night. Additionally, every time I bring her inside, she’s totally fine! So strange. Thank you again for the input

 

[Eberius522]

I have a hen showing the same symptoms. Did you feel at any point it was an illness or more of an environmental trigger?