Duck opening mouth and body heaving

[MrKnittle]

I posted in the regular duck forum, and it was suggested to post here, too.

The first link is next to her sister from same brood. They're just getting done molting, so they all look a little scraggly. She makes no noise when panting.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1jh7kUcawEU9-DG9e6gsomLTKvUIo-X76/view?usp=sharing

This link shows her resting in the afternoon. Everyone else is asleep around her. She just woke up when I got near her for the video.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WFFe8ld-RFfQayifDfEy2ar_k8jBHejL/view?usp=sharing

Hello,
I have a 3.5 year old Buff Orpington hen (one of five) that has been panting and heaving for the past several weeks. I, at first, thought it was the heat, but she's doing it since it's cooled down, too. She molted just fine, as they're all finishing molting. They've all quit laying for the past three weeks, so she's not egg-bound. Her appetite looks fine, and she free-ranges all day and keeps up with her sisters. She is just always heaving when at rest and is opening and closing her bill most of the time with it. She does look a little thinner than the others, though. I noticed her being food-aggressive with one of the other girls tonight when I put them to bed, and she's not at all lethargic.
Their bedding (straw) is typically dry, especially since we've been in a drought for the past couple of months, and there are no signs of mold in the bedding. They get fresh food and water every day, so if it's aspergillus, she's the only one with it at this time, and I'm not sure how she would have contracted it.
Am I missing something? I know that aspergillus is incurable and can cause death within days of showing symptoms, but it can also be chronic. Gapeworm can be deadly, but not as quickly. I started treating all of them with Safe-Guard tonight, but I don't want to needlessly give them medication.

I also am hesitant to take her to a vet because of a few things: None of them will let me handle them. If she's already under stress, the stress of moving her out of the flock will likely kill her. I have her for eggs, not as a pet. If she's not going to recover, I'd rather cull her and end her suffering (even though, she doesn't appear to be suffering whatsoever, just panting and obviously losing weight)

I've researched past threads on here, Google, YouTube, etc, but cannot find exactly what's going on with her.

Any advice is appreciated.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry about your Duck, hopefully some folks that know more about Ducks can chime in with suggestions. @Miss Lydia @Qwerty3159 @Jenbirdee

Also, can you feel her body to see if there's any air bubbles under the skin?

 

[Jenbirdee]

I started treating all of them with Safe-Guard tonight,

Follow through and see how that goes, it might solve her prob

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's what I was thinking too, worm and see if that takes care of it. When treating our birds ourselves we pretty much have to go down the line of issues and eliminate till we figure out the problem.
If you could place her in a pen by herself long enough to get a good picture of her poop and keep watch on how much she is eating and drinking that would help too. Isolate but keep her where she can see her group.

 

[MrKnittle]

I finished the round of dewormer two days ago. She is not any better, but she seems to have completely degraded the past day. She was extremely active and keeping up with the others, until this morning, she is panting very badly and is isolating herself at the outside of the pen. Is it time to put her down?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/5irvxyQCCKQKUGyz9

 

[HollowOfWisps]

If you try to touch her how does she react? Does she puff up or act aggressive at all?

 

[MrKnittle]

If you try to touch her how does she react? Does she puff up or act aggressive at all?

She won't really let me near her. She waddles away when I try to. The thing is, I never handle these ducks, as they never warmed up to me. They tolerate me when I'm feeding them at night, but the rest of the time they avoid me and run away when I'm near.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I would not put her down. To me she looks almost hormonal especially with the way she is isolating, but not lethargic and stills appears to be able to waddle off no problem. I have a couple hens that when they get a little broody they just walk around panting and end up finding a cozy corner away from everyone else. Especially in the fall where mine don’t usually get broody enough to make a full on nest, but seem to get the hormone rush.

 

[MrKnittle]

I would not put her down. To me she looks almost hormonal especially with the way she is isolating, but not lethargic and stills appears to be able to waddle off no problem. I have a couple hens that when they get a little broody they just walk around panting and end up finding a cozy corner away from everyone else. Especially in the fall where mine don’t usually get broody enough to make a full on nest, but seem to get the hormone rush.

I'm pretty sure that it's Aspergillosis, as they constantly root in the mulch, and I've read that mulch and compost carry a massive amount of spores. She's now out on the pond with the others, so I'll monitor her.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

She is limping her tail
Could she be needing to lay an egg ?
I see my girls pump the tail if they are struggling to lay
It looking for a place to lay