Chicken with respiratory sickness?

[The Chick Addict]

I have a New Hampshire hen that will be four years old on March 11 who I found breathing oddly last night in the coop. When I brought her inside, I found that her breathing sounds like wheezing, and I can hear the mucus in her throat. Her comb is red, but it's slightly dark and floppier than usual. She'll sneeze every couple of minutes as if she's trying to get the mucus to come up but it doesn't work. Last night I administered some VetRx orally as the instructions said, and applied some to her comb and under her wings. Is there some sort of medicine I can give her that will help her get better and remove the mucus, and is there any idea what it could be?

 

[CCsGarden]

Sorry to hear about your hen!! It could 95% be respiratory sickness because of the symptoms.

Is she weak or unstable? Does their coop have enough airflow?


Sorry, I don't know much about respiratory, I had one have this sickness years ago.

 

[BlindLemonChicken]

Do you have pictures of her head? Are her eyes affected or bubbly? I’ve had chickens with infectious coryza and the symptoms you’ve described remind me of that. Treatment is antibiotics. I gave them once under care of a vet and they didn’t help but that doesn’t mean they don’t work for others. They can recover without but they will always be carriers. I will tag an educator who can help (@Wyorp Rock) but pictures would be good in the meantime.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a New Hampshire hen that will be four years old on March 11 who I found breathing oddly last night in the coop. When I brought her inside, I found that her breathing sounds like wheezing, and I can hear the mucus in her throat. Her comb is red, but it's slightly dark and floppier than usual. She'll sneeze every couple of minutes as if she's trying to get the mucus to come up but it doesn't work. Last night I administered some VetRx orally as the instructions said, and applied some to her comb and under her wings. Is there some sort of medicine I can give her that will help her get better and remove the mucus, and is there any idea what it could be?

Do you have a history of respiratory illness within your flock or have you added new birds within the last 30days?

Photos would be helpful.

Have you checked her crop to make sure its emptying overnight, looked inside the beak for any signs of canker or lesions, made sure her nostrils are not clogged and felt of her abdomen for any feeling of fluid or bloat?

 

[The Chick Addict]

Do you have pictures of her head?

No pics at the moment, I will try to get some later though!

Are her eyes affected or bubbly?

Her eyes don't appear affected, they seem pretty clear.

I’ve had chickens with infectious coryza and the symptoms you’ve described remind me of that. Treatment is antibiotics. I gave them once under care of a vet and they didn’t help but that doesn’t mean they don’t work for others. They can recover without but they will always be carriers. I will tag an educator who can help (@Wyorp Rock) but pictures would be good in the meantime.

Okay, thank you for your help! So I would have to take her to a vet then. Do you remember the name of the antibiotic/s?

Do you have a history of respiratory illness within your flock or have you added new birds within the last 30days?

Only respiratory illness they has was Canker about 2 years ago that they have completely recovered from, none of the new hatched chickens have contracted it, and this hen has already had it. No new birds within the last 30 days.

Photos would be helpful.

I will try to get some! Although she does look completely normal besides a floppier comb.

Have you checked her crop to make sure its emptying overnight,

I haven't been checking that, I will start doing that

looked inside the beak for any signs of canker or lesions,

I haven't had a chance to look down her throat because she won't let me... do you have any ideas on how I should approach that? She has already had canker so I doubt it's that.

made sure her nostrils are not clogged

They don't appear to be clogged or blocked by any mucus, just checked and there seems to be a tiny amount of black stuff that doesn't look like it's blocking.

and felt of her abdomen for any feeling of fluid or bloat?

Actually I did check that and her abdomen is bloated and I'm starting to think she might just have water belly, along with this illness. I'm going to try to drain her today. Do you think that might have an effect on this respiratory illness?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Only respiratory illness they has was Canker about 2 years ago that they have completely recovered from, none of the new hatched chickens have contracted it, and this hen has already had it. No new birds within the last 30 days.

I haven't had a chance to look down her throat because she won't let me... do you have any ideas on how I should approach that? She has already had canker so I doubt it's that.

Canker is chronic and never cured, I'd wrap her in a towel and inspect the inside of the beak to see if there's any Canker lesions.