Chicken gasping, no balance

[Cathleen21]

I have a 6 month old speckle Sussex. Her 2 other siblings died. She sneezes and now is also gasping for air when she sleeps. She sleeps a lot. I treated her yesterday for lice as she was completely infested, loss of feathers and very skinny. Wish I would have noticed it sooner. She is eating and drinking but is weak. Her toes are at times curled in as well. I have given her poultry vitamin, dewormer her. She is eating eggs. She is inside in the warmth. Anything else I need to do. Can this be a vitamin deficiency?

 

[QueenAvis]

@staceyj @casportpony @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

 

[Eggcessive]

Welcome to BYC. Some background and any symptoms noticed in the two hens who previously died? Did they have respiratory issues as well. What do you feed your chickens? Does she lay eggs?

 

[Redhead Rae]

@casportpony @Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive

 

[chickens really]

@Wyorp Rock also is excellent in these situations

 

[casportpony]

Welcome to BYC! So sorry your hen is ill. Any chance you can get her to a vet? If not, you could try vitamins, antibiotics, and supportive care (heat and tube feeding).

 

[staceyj]

Can you get a whole body picture including her feet?

 

[Cathleen21]

The first one which was the rooster suddenly was unable to walk. No other symptom. He went down hill quick and after 1 week no improvement. Had to cull him. Her sister had a cold for 3 weeks, sneezing , and one morning her head was upside down. Now this one got sick quick. I think the lice really made her week as she was crazy infested.

 

[casportpony]

She looks better in those two pictures than she does in your first picture. Can you take a video of here breathing, upload to YouTube or Vimeo, then copy/paste the link here?

 

[Eggcessive]

She looks like she doesn’t feel well. Is she eating any chicken feed? I would wet some to make it mushy, and put a bit of egg or cottage cheese to make it interesting. Does her crop feel empty, full, firm, or puffy? I would check is again in early morning before you feed her to see if it has emptied overnight. What type of feed do you use—layer, flock raiser or other?

Since it sounds like a respiratory issue, do you see any bubbles in eyes or drainage, or any drainage on her nostrils? Does she sneeze or cough? The curled under toes can be a sign of both riboflavin (vitamin B2) deficiency, but also sometimes Mareks disease. A twisted neck sometimes is also a sign. Hopefully it isn’t Mareks, but Mareks can cause a chicken to have poor immunity to common illnesses. Do you know if she was vaccinated for anything?
Do you have more chickens?