Breathing Issues Urgent

[Yuki]

I've got a yr and 3 month old silkie hen. I only got her when she was a little over 6 months. She has brother whom has no issue. They were born mid October. They had a mite problem. She is not same size as the others. Her original owners just let their chickens breed for years. They even hatches eggs themselves. She may be an inbred. She has been trouble breathing since I got her. It's usually at night in nestingbox. She will gasp for hair while her head moves up and between her shoulder blades. Her tail slightly bobs. Her throat moves as she's breathing along with wheezing. During that day when you pick her up her breath easily leaves get body even when gentle. Its getting worse please help. They have no parasites I even looked through their fecal matter (I'm vet tech student) their were no parasite eggs. I'm really stumped.

 

[azygous]

Have you checked her crop in the morning to be sure it's emptied overnight? Have you examined her mouth and throat for plaques and lesions and foreign objects? Any swelling around her eyes or ears? Discharges from eyes, nares or ears? Have you looked inside her ears?

 

[Yuki]

Crop empty in morning. Nothing swollen. Mouth is clear and no discharge. She is eats perfectly fine.nothing in ears.

 

[Yuki]

Any ideas?

 

[Yuki]

I've got 7 years experience with chickens. It can't be gapeworm either.

 

[azygous]

It is possible she has a low grade respiratory infection. Have you tried treating with Tylan or another broad spectrum antibiotic?

If she doesn't respond to that, then I would consider a cardio/pulmonary genetic issue or a cardio/pulmonary issue stemming from a tumor causing avian virus.

 

[Yuki]

Done antibiotics on whole flock this winter@ someone started sneezing. But she was never infected. The ones who were infected are still sneezing or lost their voice.

It is possible she has a low grade respiratory infection. Have you tried treating with Tylan or another broad spectrum antibiotic?

If she doesn't respond to that, then I would consider a cardio/pulmonary genetic issue or a cardio/pulmonary issue stemming from a tumor causing avian virus.

 

[azygous]

I would treat them all with another antibiotic. If there are any still with symptoms, the infection is likely still active.

 

[Yuki]

Yeah gonna contact the vet abt the chronic uppet respiratory. But the silkie was not infected. I think it's something else.

 

[Shezadandy]

Have you checked her abdomen? You said her breathing gets worse when you pick her up. Not always- but enough times- this can point to fluid in the abdomen that are constricting her heart and lungs. When you pick them up, it further compresses them and makes breathing worse, same when they lay down. Check how the other hens' abdomens feel vs. how hers is.