Closed Eye, Odd Breathing, Low Energy

[ci_cyfarth]

Hey all!

I just went out for my afternoon chicken time (I sit in the run and give the nuggets grass or other little snacks and sit with them for a while) and one of my flock, Rosemary, has some worrying, sudden symptoms.

She's low-energy, keeping one eye closed, and opening her beak every so often, kind of like she's having problems breathing. I could not hear any wheezing, didn't see any obvious trauma to the eye area or other parts of her body. Her vent looks fine. She let me pick her up/pet her, and nibbled some grass when I offered it to her, but she definitely did not seem as alert as usual.

Video here:

RosemaryInjuredSick.mp4

• ci_cyfarth
• Jun 30, 2025

Rosemary displaying odd, sudden symptoms (closed eye, lethargy, odd breathing)

Thoughts?

The only odd/worrying thing Rosemary has done/eaten that I'm aware of was a piece of glass about 15 days ago -- she got it before I spotted it! -- but has been fine since and I'd hoped that we were out of the woods on that.

 

[ci_cyfarth]

Update: I've separated her from the others for now and she's settled into our big wire dog crate with some probiotics and electrolytes.

There's no audible wheezing when I press my ear to her chest, so I'm hoping a day or two of rest should help resolve what's happening, but will keep folks posted.

 

[ci_cyfarth]

Day 2 Update: Rosemary made it through the night! She's eating/drinking, but her energy level is still low.

The only poop I could spot was a little lime green bile action, which is worrying.

She did take her morning blueberry (a treat everyone gets at breakfast right now), and I also hand fed her about half a scrambled egg.

She will open her left eye when there's interesting stimuli around, but she seems to tire quickly. Here's hoping the extra TLC helps her pull through.

 

[ci_cyfarth]

Bit perkier this afternoon, better color in her comb and wattles. Both eyes open now, the breathing thing seems to have passed. She had a bit more scrambled egg -- offered it by hand until she was done -- and we bok-bok'd at each other a little. Still no good poops, but fingers crossed.

 

[ci_cyfarth]

We have a poop!

I've had her on probiotics and electrolytes, grower feed (Kalmbach), and have been hand feeding scrambled egg 2-ish times a day along with her morning treat (currently a single blueberry).

Her energy level is still low. I took her into the yard for about half an hour to observe her and while she was happy to forage, she'd lay down about every 10 minutes.

Anyone have any ideas? The other three members of the flock are still doing fine, no odd symptoms among them.

 

[Appalachickens]

I am too new to this to have anything of value to offer, but I hope she bounces back. Is Rosemary a California Tan? She looks a lot like mine of that breed.

 

[ci_cyfarth]

She is! She's a very sweet chicken, too. I love her little speckles.

 

[Appalachickens]

She is! She's a very sweet chicken, too. I love her little speckles.

Mine is a bit of a menace towards the little ones. But she is pretty. I had no idea what I was getting when I picked her up at Rural King.

 

[KRack]

@Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock

 

[Eggcessive]

Is that the only time she has passed any droppings? Has she been laying eggs recently? If she still is not pooping much I might give her a human calcium tablet 300-600 mg orally or a Tums which could make her pass an egg. I would offer some wet chicken feed and scrambled egg bits from a small bowl.