4yo Buff Orpington with labored breathing

[HennyPenny44]

Hello! My dear Clementine who is the most laid back chicken isn’t looking too well today. She is breathing deeply while somewhat closing her eyes at times. When I took her out of the run to inspect her, I heard a slight clicking noise. I checked again and now I hear a labored noise when she breathes. Like I said, she’s very chill so this might have been going on for a while but I missed it. Her comb and wattles are looking redder than normal. FYI, she doesn’t lay eggs but occasionally might lay one or two a year. Her eggs started out being distorted at some point and then she just stopped laying. What can this be and what should I do? I tried posting the video but Backyard Chickens seems to only download my photos. Thank you!

 

[nuthatched]

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What's her diet? What type of deformed are you talking about.

 

[HennyPenny44]

Upload videos to YouTube or similar and link back here.
What's her diet? What type of deformed are you talking about.

Ok, you can’t see it in this video because she knows she’s being watched but she halfway closes her left eye at times as she breathes.

And this is how her eggs used to look like. She hasn’t laid one in a while so this isn’t her egg but it looks similar.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/hredirect2.php?c=7065696

 

[nuthatched]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/
Hmm, have you felt between her legs for swelling? There's naturally going to be a low hanging area but you're looking for swollen tightness. Have you checked her crop?

 

[HennyPenny44]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/articles/common-egg-quality-problems.65923/
Hmm, have you felt between her legs for swelling? There's naturally going to be a low hanging area but you're looking for swollen tightness. Have you checked her crop?

There’s no swelling I can detect and her crop feels empty. Not sure if I should isolate her. I currently have 2 sets of ducklings brooding in my living room and I don’t want them to catch whatever she has. No other predator proof areas to isolate her except inside my home.

 

[HennyPenny44]

I doubt it’s an egg issue because her breathing is pronounced and there’s clicking and laboring when she breathes.

 

[HennyPenny44]

I looked up VetRx which supposedly is good for respiratory issues and learned it contains oregano oil. Also looked into my Natural Chicken Keeping book and saw Echinacea tincture recommended. I have both on hand so I put a couple drops of each in some water and sat down my girl on my lap to drink it. She drank most of it and seemed thirsty. I put the rest in my hens’ waterer. Will do it again tomorrow if symptoms persist.

 

[nuthatched]

I looked up VetRx which supposedly is good for respiratory issues and learned it contains oregano oil. Also looked into my Natural Chicken Keeping book and saw Echinacea tincture recommended. I have both on hand so I put a couple drops of each in some water and sat down my girl on my lap to drink it. She drank most of it and seemed thirsty. I put the rest in my hens’ waterer. Will do it again tomorrow if symptoms persist.

Vetrx is just vicks for chickens, it might help alleviate some of the symptoms

 

[HennyPenny44]

Vetrx is just vicks for chickens, it might help alleviate some of the symptoms

Hmm, well, I don’t see the sense of buying it then. I checked on her and she’s still breathing weird and has no interest in eating her usual scratch like the rest of the girls. I’m thinking of isolating her tonight and giving her more of the water until she looks better.

 

[HennyPenny44]

I took her inside last night. Gave her water and feed. She ate a bit last night but today, she isn’t drinking and barely eating. Put some essential oils diluted with coconut oil under her wings hoping that she’ll get well enough to at least drink. But I have to admit I feel discouraged. Her breathing hasn’t improved and she keeps closing her eyes.