Okay so you have to read this. I was mowing the lawn and one of my americaunas who is only 2 and perfectly seemingly healthy and had just been eating treats with the rest of the group, RACES past me like a bat out of Hell..... Seriously, she literally ran faster than any chicken I have ever seen and without using her wings. She shot across the lawn to the coop compound. I just happened to then go by the entrance and noticed her laying on the ground. I thought she was taking a sun bath and then realized something didn't seem right. I picked up her almost completely lifeless body, she was gasping (NOT wheezing) and panting as fast as she possibly could, her waddles, comb and skin around eyes were completely purple/blue and I thought for sure she was going to die right then. I carried her over and sat down with her. She kept passing out and I was sure each time was her last. I couldn't even begin to think of what it was, I thought of a heart attack as she had ran so fast, heat stroke, some type of attack (but not asthma as she was not wheezing). Anyway, I started to hold her wings out for the breeze to get into them, and fluffing her feathers and blowing into them. I sat and held for thinking she was dying mostly the entire time. Then, she would open her eyes and then pass out again, all the while breathing rapidly. 10-15 minutes and all of a sudden I noticed her starting to redden back up, then, bring her head up and stop passing out, then, eventually, holding her head up and looking around. She continued to breathe open mouthed, but, finally wanted to stand. I put her down and she moved herself towards the coop, all the wihle still breathing so rapidly and with her mouth open. But, color good, etc. So, I left her for a bit and kept checking on her often. We found her hiding a couple of times, but, she came out for watermelon and, HOURS later, she was up on her roost for the night with no panting and looking perfectly spry. WHAT ON EARTH????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is on top of the rest of our horrible chicken day (see earlier post for questions). Anyway, hopefully she will be alive tomorrow. so strange. Thankfully, I turned that corner and chased the rooster with the tractor that was bugging one of the hens in front of me! I wouldn't have come upon her and she would have been dead. POOOR SNOWY!
