Buff Orphington suddenly lethargic and periodically opens mouth

[chinjon]

Hello all,

First time poster, long time lurker. Unfortunately for my first post here is a pressing health question.

I'll list the general symptoms on top with her other bio/common chicken stats stuff

List of symptoms

• Opens mouth occasionally
• Not as social - moves away from flock
• Has begun confining herself to the run/coop
  • Occasionally closes her eyes, gasps/opens mouth - but standing up
  • Seems to be alert - will react when I open coop door to check on her
• Dozes off for a few seconds periodically - then followed by a mouth opening/gasp
• Not as aggressive foraging as usual
• Does not seem to eat from feeder but will eat from hand
• Poops seem to be okay - contents do not indicate worms

About my Chicken(s)

• About 10 months old
• Free ranging chicken
• Purchased from local breeder
• Has not been laying eggs yet - I have read (on this very forum) that Buff Orphingtons are slow to develop
• Poops seem to be okay - though her poops are often very tiny
• Very active, loves to jump into people's laps and backs
• Lives within a flock of 5
  • 2 Black plymouth rocks
    • Active
    • Layer - stopped laying for winter
  • 2 Rhode Island Reds
    • Active
    • Layer- actively laying

Diet

• Organic feed from Mile Four
  • Occasionally mix in rooster booster vitamin pellets - though once a week
• Daily 1/4 cup of hot oat meal w/ rice (given for cold NY weather)
  • Mix in grit and organic sea kelp
• Fruits and vegetables
  • Few slices of apples distributed amongst flock
• Water
  • Waterer with regular tap water
  • 1-3 week: Rooster Booster electrolytes - 16oz 1/12 scoop
    • Never on same day as nutri-drench
  • 1-2 week: Nutri Drench 16 oz - tiny squirt
    • Never on same day with electrolytes
    • Mixed with Save a chick probiotics - 1/12 scoop
  • Homeo Vet: Wrm Clear - 5 drops with either electrolytes or Nutri Drench
• Grit - in a separate dish put out daily or at least every other day
• Oyster shells - in a separate dish

Misc

• Located in New York, in a suburb of New York City
  • Weather has been fluctuating from below normal to above normal temps the past few weeks
• Coop
  • Omlet cube
    • Bedding: woodshavings with PDZ coop refresher sprinkled on top
    • Nesting box: Hay

---

My sweet buff orphington, Wheezy, was noticeably less active yesterday, and I noticed that she had been opening her mouth. I live in New York, so I was able to eliminate hot weather panting. She is 10 months old, still technically a pullet. I was worried about her not laying, but I've read that Buff Orphintons can be slow to mature.

I've embedded a video of her with mouth opening

Video of her yesterday (12/14/2021)

Video of her this morning (12/15/2021)

She is usually active and social with the other chickens and loves to hop in my lap, but the past two days she seemed lethargic. Normally when she is in my lap or on my back, she's quite active and will be darting her head around. But the past two days, while she is in my lap, she'll doze off and be at a stand still. Today she's been more confined to the coop, which she rarely does. She is quite fluffy, her crop does not feel hard, a little empty as she also hasn't been aggressively eating as she normally does.

It has been also wet in the NY area and uncommonly humid, I have not seen worms in any of the chickens droppings.

Thank you in advance for any posts.

 

[rayrose]

She looks pretty normal to me.

 

[chinjon]

She looks pretty normal to me.

Hey rayrose, thanks for the reply

I'm adding another video of her confining herself, she normally does not do this. Also to note - its been extremely warm (for late fall/early winter) in NY - hitting upper 50's the past week, so this is not due to temperature.

 

[chinjon]

Also as another treatment I tried, I applied VetRx to her beak and chest yesterday, in case if it was a breathing issue.

Not sure if I'm supposed to administer that orally as well?

 

[chinjon]

i'd hate to tag - but my post hasn't been getting much traction.

ty in advance for any response

@Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive @MysteryChicken

 

[chinjon]

Attaching a recent poop she had made. She hasn't been eating much - though she did eat a handful of feed + treats.

I had her sit in an epsom salt bath bath for a bit - not sure if i was doing it right, she didn't want to sit down in the bath

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Could she by chance almost start laying ? Sometimes they do this when they have a funny feeling but it's not quite there yet is she has yet to lay

 

[chinjon]

Could she by chance almost start laying ? Sometimes they do this when they have a funny feeling but it's not quite there yet is she has yet to lay

Thank you @Lenny loves chickens for responding

I hope that is the case - I'll continue to monitor her. Not sure if I do feel something in her underbelly.

From my experience with the other 4 layers in the flock, they were more hyperactive when they first started laying their egg. Would the incoming egg also explain the occasional mouth opening/gasps?

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Thank you @Lenny loves chickens for responding

I hope that is the case - I'll continue to monitor her. Not sure if I do feel something in her underbelly.

From my experience with the other 4 layers in the flock, they were more hyperactive when they first started laying their egg. Would the incoming egg also explain the occasional mouth opening/gasps?

Her open mouth could be like pain. So it's possible I would just watch and if it gets worse comment back

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

Her open mouth could be like pain. So it's possible I would just watch and if it gets worse comment back

I had a chicken do this when they started laying the first couple of times..just make sure she is eating and drinking