1 yr-old breathing labored, isolating

[lroggli]

My sole remaining Swedish Flower hen is suddenly isolating herself from the rest of the flock (noticed it yesterday early). Her chest is enlarged and I was worried about impacted crop but she is empty, apparently not eating much. Immediately after I put her down, she puffs up her chest again. I can see her take (try to take) deep breaths. A bit of head shaking and occasional open mouth breathing. Small discharge from nares (one side only). So many respiratory illnesses but how do I tell what to treat if I don't know the cause? I am pretty new at this...spent $500 on vet bills for one of my Sapphire Gems treating with antibiotics for a month before she finally died. I can pull "Inga" out of the run but still have no idea what to do after that. Help?

 

[azygous]

I hope you aren't in California or Oregon. Or some other state that, well meaning intention to curb the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, now make it impossible for small flock owners to treat sick chickens.

This is the antibiotic for respiratory illness that you can get without a prescription if you are in a state or country that permits it. https://www.jedds.com/shop/tylan-soluble-100-g/

 

[lroggli]

North Carolina and ordering it now. Thank you! She is in a separate new pen but pretty much just standing alone. Mash with probiotics in her pen with fresh water but she is not acting like a chicken - scratching, etc.

Also weird - my other hens laid just two eggs in the peat moss dust bath today instead of the nesting area inside. And I found one hen running with half an empty eggshell in her mouth. Obviously at least one of them has discovered the joys of raw eggs (worried about that earlier when I found a shell that looked pecked instead of dropped). Then they refused to come into the coop via the chunnel that connects the outdoor run to covered run and coop even tempting them with fresh corn on the cob. A lot of strange stuff going on around here. Got six 10-12 week olds that I planned to move in with the rest but gonna delay that until we figure this out.

 

[lroggli]

Vet diagnosed upper respiratory infection; administering doxycycline 2x a day as well as eye drops for an eye infection plus tube feeding her for 2 days but tonight her comb is starting to turn purple! I would think she would be feeling/getting better rather than signs of low oxygen levels. Perhaps not enough time for antibiotic to work its magic? At least she is feisty - fights me for tub feeding.

 

[lroggli]

Help --- even after a week of antibiotics and tube feeding she is not better. Her eye infection is slightly better but now seems to be affecting the other eye (will treat it with same drops). What worries me is that is has been unbelievably hot and humid here all week. Her comb is a deep rose color - it wasn't that dark even before she got sick. Wondering if she is dehydrated (not eating or drinking on her own). She cannot seem to stand on the roost in the isolation pen but prefers to be on the ground. Wings are held away from body and now a clicking sound in her chest when she breathes - it is a struggle for her to get air in and out.

Now she is fighting me re tube feeding. Can't even get her beak open. Did get few drops of water in her this morning. Maybe she aspirated some of the Harrison's juvenile formula we fed her? Pretty sure we went down the "right pipe" with tub feeding- could feel her crop filling up. Obviously the doxy is not enough or wrong med although from what I read it is the preferred antibiotic for respiratory issues.

Will call avian vet again but he is pretty taciturn - does not give me much information unless I dig and sometimes I don't know the right questions to ask. He didn't even tell me that eggs should be disposed of after the antibiotic course; I learned that from these forums.

Hate to lose her - maybe pneumonia? Treatment? Feel so helpless.

 

[lroggli]

I hope you aren't in California or Oregon. Or some other state that, well meaning intention to curb the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, now make it impossible for small flock owners to treat sick chickens.

This is the antibiotic for respiratory illness that you can get without a prescription if you are in a state or country that permits it. https://www.jedds.com/shop/tylan-soluble-100-g/

Help..things are not better even with doxy. I have posted a few updates. Can you comment? Appreciate your support.

 

[azygous]

Sadly, when a chicken doesn't respond to an antibiotic, getting worse instead, it often means a much more serious issue for which there is no cure.

The rattles you hear are a bad sign. I can't tell you what is going on with this hen, you would need to have a lab dissect her after she dies to find out. But when I had a young rooster with those same symptoms, not getting better on antibiotics, he was sent to a lab after death and his necropsy showed tumors and a two pound liver. He had lymphoid leucosis.

There are expensive lab tests you can have done that might turn up an answer, but none would be conclusive. I'm sorry. You can try another antibiotic, perhaps cephalexin. Sometimes switching to a stronger med turns things around. But, I fear the worst for your hen, given her lack of progress and overall declining condition.

 

[lroggli]

Sadly, when a chicken doesn't respond to an antibiotic, getting worse instead, it often means a much more serious issue for which there is no cure.

The rattles you hear are a bad sign. I can't tell you what is going on with this hen, you would need to have a lab dissect her after she dies to find out. But when I had a young rooster with those same symptoms, not getting better on antibiotics, he was sent to a lab after death and his necropsy showed tumors and a two pound liver. He had lymphoid leucosis.

There are expensive lab tests you can have done that might turn up an answer, but none would be conclusive. I'm sorry. You can try another antibiotic, perhaps cephalexin. Sometimes switching to a stronger med turns things around. But, I fear the worst for your hen, given her lack of progress and overall declining condition.

Exactly what I suspected from the beginning .. tumors obstructing her airways. Regret that this will likely end in death so why prolong the inevitable. I cannot bring myself to euthanize her here - will take her to vet so it is over quickly.

Thank you for your candid opinion and prognosis. And sorry to hear about your feathered gentleman.

 

[azygous]

I really do urge you to get a necropsy. Locate the lab, and your vet may be able to tell you where to go, box up your hen so she's comfortable, and drive her alive to the lab. This is what I did just very recently with a terminally ill pullet.

The lab tec gently took her from my hands and carried her into the lab where he humanely euthanized her. Having a very fresh specimen to work on, the lab results were uncluttered by postmortem bacteria, and I didn't have to dispatch her myself. My lab results showed lymphoid leucosis, same as that young roo.

What this hen has may have consequences for your entire flock, so it's very wise to get the necropsy.

 

[lroggli]

I really do urge you to get a necropsy. Locate the lab, and your vet may be able to tell you where to go, box up your hen so she's comfortable, and drive her alive to the lab. This is what I did just very recently with a terminally ill pullet.

The lab tec gently took her from my hands and carried her into the lab where he humanely euthanized her. Having a very fresh specimen to work on, the lab results were uncluttered by postmortem bacteria, and I didn't have to dispatch her myself. My lab results showed lymphoid leucosis, same as that young roo.

What this hen has may have consequences for your entire flock, so it's very wise to get the necropsy.

Finally put her down last Friday (a week ago) and took her to the state lab. Their finding was lymphoma likely caused by ... wait for it ... Mareks! Exactly what I told my vet from the first visit.

I did feel terrible though, that we had been tube feeding her and she had an eye infection and swelling on left side of her head and roof of her mouth. No wonder she fought me so much near the end. And she lost weight despite my efforts to feed her...weighed only 1.25 lb at the end.

Thank you SO Much for your help. It made a huge difference in my confidence. Probably would not have done the necropsy without your encouragement. Now I know my flock is OK since the rest are fully vaccinated.