Buff Orphington suddenly lethargic and periodically opens mouth

[Eggcessive]

Any food will contain B vitamins, so I would not worry about that. You just don’t want to give extra thiamine (B1) since Corid acts by mimicking thiamine.

 

[chinjon]

Any food will contain B vitamins, so I would not worry about that. You just don’t want to give extra thiamine (B1) since Corid acts by mimicking thiamine.

It does look like it has thiamine, but thiamine mononitrate

But its probably the same amount as regular food/feed - so it would be okay?

Soy protein isolate, Hi-oleic sunflower oil, Sugar, Calcium carbonate, Potassium chloride, Vitamin supplement (Vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3, dl-alpha tocopheryl acetate, vitamin B12, riboflavin, d-calcium pantothenate, niacin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, d-biotin, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, zinc sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, sodium selenite, calcium carbonate, vegetable oil), Phosphatadyl choline, Di-calcium phosphate, Methionine, Vitamin E.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, that is okay. She has to eat.

 

[chinjon]

Wheezy didn't make it. We had an appointment scheduled for today at the vet, but yesterday I had started seeing the writing on the wall. Yesterday, her lethargy was at its worst, but after a few naps she had seemed to improve, which gave me hope.

Today she was struggling this morning to walk, and eat, and ultimately passed away. She was a gentle and humble hen, who was emotionally intelligent in ways that amazed me for chickens. She was curious and adventurous, but never ventured too far. She was amazed by other animals that'd roam the yard, like baby rabbits and squirrels and treated them with respect. She loved jumping on people and I'm sad more people never got to experience that.

I've only had 10 months with her, but I was able to spend almost 4 hrs with her daily, and she (along with my flock) was a shining light for me this past year. It was clear she wasn't going to lay any eggs, I didn't care, I loved her as a pet.

Thank you @Wyorp Rock and @Eggcessive for helping during this week, you were very helpful and I am extremely grateful.

 

[lilmillefleur]

Wheezy didn't make it. We had an appointment scheduled for today at the vet, but yesterday I had started seeing the writing on the wall. Yesterday, her lethargy was at its worst, but after a few naps she had seemed to improve, which gave me hope.

Today she was struggling this morning to walk, and eat, and ultimately passed away. She was a gentle and humble hen, who was emotionally intelligent in ways that amazed me for chickens. She was curious and adventurous, but never ventured too far. She was amazed by other animals that'd roam the yard, like baby rabbits and squirrels and treated them with respect. She loved jumping on people and I'm sad more people never got to experience that.

I've only had 10 months with her, but I was able to spend almost 4 hrs with her daily, and she (along with my flock) was a shining light for me this past year. It was clear she wasn't going to lay any eggs, I didn't care, I loved her as a pet.

View attachment 2935346

Thank you @Wyorp Rock and @Eggcessive for helping during this week, you were very helpful and I am extremely grateful.

I'm so sorry you lost her. What a sweet tribute and such a cute hen.

 

[Kiki]

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.

• 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

The above Is all treats...1/4 cup is way too much to give a bird daily.

Feeding this much treats is going to end up hurting your bird big time.

The bird will be healthier if it ate a balanced diet. A balanced diet is only a pelleted or crumble age appropriate chicken feed.

 

[Kiki]

Wheezy didn't make it. We had an appointment scheduled for today at the vet, but yesterday I had started seeing the writing on the wall. Yesterday, her lethargy was at its worst, but after a few naps she had seemed to improve, which gave me hope.

Today she was struggling this morning to walk, and eat, and ultimately passed away. She was a gentle and humble hen, who was emotionally intelligent in ways that amazed me for chickens. She was curious and adventurous, but never ventured too far. She was amazed by other animals that'd roam the yard, like baby rabbits and squirrels and treated them with respect. She loved jumping on people and I'm sad more people never got to experience that.

I've only had 10 months with her, but I was able to spend almost 4 hrs with her daily, and she (along with my flock) was a shining light for me this past year. It was clear she wasn't going to lay any eggs, I didn't care, I loved her as a pet.

View attachment 2935346

Thank you @Wyorp Rock and @Eggcessive for helping during this week, you were very helpful and I am extremely grateful.

Sorry you lost her. I highly recommend thinking about changing how you feed t prevent more deaths.

 

[chinjon]

I'm so sorry you lost her. What a sweet tribute and such a cute hen.

Thank you @lilmillefleur for reading and the kind words . I appreciate it

 

[chinjon]

• 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

The above Is all treats...1/4 cup is way too much to give a bird daily.

Feeding this much treats is going to end up hurting your bird big time.

The bird will be healthier if it ate a balanced diet. A balanced diet is only a pelleted or crumble age appropriate chicken feed.

I already have cut out the oatmeal for the rest of the flock

the 1/4 cup was not given to her solely, it was separated into 2 dishes shared amongst 5 hens.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@chinjon I'm sorry to hear about Wheezy
Thank you for sharing more about her, she was a lovely girl, I'm sure she will be missed.