Molting chicken is breathing heavy

[Salty Cookie]

My Rhode Island Red bantam hen is going through a hard molt. She is covered in pin feathers and her skin is quite visible. She was in the coop probably all day today, probably trying to keep warm. She sneezed a few times and she didn't look well, so I brought her in. I gave her cat food and loads of poultry vitamins in water and she is sleeping in my daughter's room tonight (she is my daughter's pet hen.) I am not sure but she may be breathing heavy. It is Sunday and the vet is closed tomorrow, and I have no antibiotics with me. If it is respiratory issue, it must be a very beginning. Is there anything I can do to help her tomorrow? I am going to feed her layer feed and scrambled eggs, and a lot of poultry vitamins and electrolyte. Anything else???

 

[Eggcessive]

I would make sure that she is offered water and food often throughout the day. Mushy watery chicken feed is very good. Look her lower belly over for any extra fullness which could be water belly (ascites.) Also, check for any skin parasites (lice or mites.) Does she usually lay eggs regularly when not molting? What are her poops looking like? Is her crop emptying overnight by early morning? Molting is a tough time for them, and illness is more likely to show up then.

 

[Salty Cookie]

I would make sure that she is offered water and food often throughout the day. Mushy watery chicken feed is very good. Look her lower belly over for any extra fullness which could be water belly (ascites.) Also, check for any skin parasites (lice or mites.) Does she usually lay eggs regularly when not molting? What are her poops looking like? Is her crop emptying overnight by early morning? Molting is a tough time for them, and illness is more likely to show up then.

 

[Salty Cookie]

Thanks! I gave her water with electrolyte and vitamins, scrambled eggs, kale and layer mash. She is eating a lot and looks more comfortable. She has no water belly and I didn't see any mites but treated her for mites just in case. She is about 1.5 years old. She lays eggs but since the sunrise is 8am and sunset is 4pm now, she hasn't laid eggs for a while. Her poop looks healthy. I recently lost a young Rhode Island Red hen that was going through a hard molt to vitamin deficiency. What do you do when your chickens are molting to prevent further issues? Do you switch feed to chick starter or give tuna or....???