Help! Found a poor chicken that fell off a poultry truck

[HollowOfWisps]

The wheezing is most likely some minor internal damage from falling out of the truck. I rescued a kitten and a dog (two different occasions) that were just thrown out of car. Both had a wheeze to their breathing for months afterward and the vets confirmed there was some minor internal damage to their airways. They said that it was caused by the blunt impact from being thrown out of a moving car and landing on the road. Eventually both of their wheezing resolved.

 

[Bawkbok]

@NatJ offered a good suggestion. Hopefully it is just temperature related. I can share that when we've had chickens in that posture for days, it was because of illness or some individual disease. Rooting for your baby.

 

[LaFleche]

Almost looks like the typical coccidiosis stance, but could also be caused by heart issues which sadly are very common in meat birds.
Progressive heart failure would also account for the wheezing.

 

[Cjcyndi]

Almost looks like the typical coccidiosis stance, but could also be caused by heart issues which sadly are very common in meat birds.
Progressive heart failure would also account for the wheezing.

I will try to treat it for that although I give it medicated food and this stance has been like this for about a week now

 

[Cjcyndi]

@NatJ offered a good suggestion. Hopefully it is just temperature related. I can share that when we've had chickens in that posture for days, it was because of illness or some individual disease. Rooting for your baby.

Yea I feel like something is wrong but it’s still eating drinking good and walking around. The only thing I notice is it grooms itself a lot

 

[Cjcyndi]

I see what you mean. Is there anything he really likes to eat that you could hold out and just a bit above him? Will he extend his neck if there is something that he is interested in? It is hard for me to tell if his body is out of line or he just has he neck so recessed into his body the rest of him looks off. I am just throwing things out, so please, don't think that I am speaking with any authority... could he be chilled at all? He almost looks as though he is puffed up and sunk into his feathers. I hope he just has a case of the Mondays (I think I do) and all is well tomorrow.

I did hold some food up but he moved his whole body with its head to look up. And I’m here in Alabama so the weather is cold and hot randomly

 

[Cjcyndi]

I was thinking the same thing.


Chickens do spread their wings one way in hot weather as they pant, and they huddle in with their feathers fluffed in cold weather. So if his pose changed a bit as the weather changed, it might just be his way of dealing with the temperature. But if you are seeing matching poses in both hot and cold weather, it more likely points to something else.

In general, that body posture goes with a chicken that doesn't feel good (that overlaps with being cold, because being sick or hurt will often make a chicken feel cold too.)

One way to check if he feels cold: provide a warm area and a cool area and see where he chooses to spend time. Something like a heat lamp in one corner of a big area would work as well with a chicken of his age as it would for young chicks, letting the bird choose the temperature where it feels comfortable. (Not saying you need to do this, just that it is one possible way to check what temperature the chicken likes, and whether the body posture is temperature-related.)

Thanks for the suggestions! It gets hot sometimes but recently we had a lot of rain which brought chilly temps. Maybe that’s it but I do feel like the posture has been in cold and hot temps.

 

[mrskenmore]

I can't with that little face! I agree stance in pics look like he is cold, or puffed up due to illness. Eating, drinking, standing and walking are good signs. Please send our love to Peabo today

 

[Bawkbok]

@Cjcyndi - how is he doing today? Are you able to get him outside for some fresh air and sunshine and to walk around a bit?

 

[Cjcyndi]

@Cjcyndi - how is he doing today? Are you able to get him outside for some fresh air and sunshine and to walk around a bit?

No I haven’t taken him outside but where the sun was shining through the light he decided to sunbathe. It was very cute