Hen with Labored Breathing

[StonebeckFarm]

I have RIR who is 1.5. She has heavy labored breathing. Her poop is normal. There is no discharge from her nose. Her waddle and comb are pale and her tail is down. She seems to be alert other than she seems to have exaggerated breathing. She is eating and drinking. Her crop seems to be a normal size. I can’t find indication of being egg bound.

She is not laying right now. She does have mites so we did dust her with insecticide. The breathing has been labored for at least 4 days. We brought her in the house late Wednesday. She is still in a private cage in the kitchen being kept company by the rabbit.

Any ideas of cause or treatment I should consider? We gave her yogurt and buttermilk, She wont touch the garlic.

A neighbor thought maybe pneumonia from the drastic change of weather...went from negative number and single digits to 40s for two days and them plummeted again. She mentioned there was nothing I could do for the bird. I wanted to see if anyone else has any other ideas…..

 

[chickeepoo]

I'm sorry, I don't have an answer but I'll bump this to the top- hopefully someone more experienced will advise you. It's possible she's anemic if you've been dealing with mites- Good luck- I hope she 'll be OK.

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:
I'm wondering if the insecticide has made her sick. Did she breathe it in? What kind did you use? how did you use it?

 

[wren]

Is she shaking her head?

Regardless I would buy some tylan. Scramble the yolk of an egg wet down with some yogurt to tempt her.

 

[StonebeckFarm]

The insecticide was a poultry insecticide from Tractor Supply. She was sick before we treated her. I found out she had mites when I was investigating the labored breathing.

I will look into treating the anemia.

 

[chickenannie]

How is she doing?

 

[sammi]

possible respiratory illness..
is she wheezing or have any other breath sounds?

describe the droppings..color and consistency.
has she been wormed?

recheck crop..and feel for an lump or grainy feeling or sour odor.

check vent ..make sure it is clear..and for any drainage.
feel "belly"/vent area for any heat or swelling, or lump.

possible egg problem..
I'd give her some calcium..liquid calcium or a crushed Tum in some feed she will eat..
put her on a warmed towel in a dim quiet warm place..undisturbed..
see if she lays an egg..
others put the hen in a warm bath..

you have a pm

 

[StonebeckFarm]

Then hen is still the same

Is she shaking her head?

Yes

possible respiratory illness..
is she wheezing or have any other breath sounds?

I can't hear her breathe- just see her breathe-- she looks to be struggling with each breath

describe the droppings..color and consistency.
has she been wormed?

She has not been wormed. Her drooping are light brown formed poops with the white caps that look like all the other poops of my other hens

recheck crop..and feel for an lump or grainy feeling or sour odor.

I have smelled her multiple times- no smell. I can't even feel her crop.

check vent ..make sure it is clear..and for any drainage.
feel "belly"/vent area for any heat or swelling, or lump.

her belly was warm, but her vent was clear. I have stuck my finger up her mutiple times---nothing...

possible egg problem..
I'd give her some calcium..liquid calcium or a crushed Tum in some feed she will eat..

I'll try calcium.....

put her on a warmed towel in a dim quiet warm place..undisturbed..
see if she lays an egg..
others put the hen in a warm bath..

She was on our radient heated floor with a towel over the cage. We gave her a warm bath-- nothing....

you have a pm

thanks

try some tylan--scramble some egg......

I will try this today. We are headed to Tractor Supply to get somthing for one of the goats and one of the sheep so I will pick some up. Thanks for the info on how to "serve it up." I have lots of egg yolks and some great raw milk yogurt.​

 

[jackieh4]

Hello, I discovered your old post in a google search. Did your girl recover? The symptoms you described are the exact symptoms of my hen. Any update would be appreciated.

Thanks!
Jackie