Emergency! Hen not breathing in, pale comb, shaking body

[Liza728w]

I have a little serama hen named Mira. Today I went outside and saw her with a pale comb, open beak and her eyes were closed.

I grabbed her. I started listening to her breathing. She inhaled, exhaled, inhaled 10%, and didn't inhale the rest of the way. She started shaking her whole body, so I started rubbing her and trying to get her to breathe!

She did start breathing. Her comb is turning from bright red to super pale within seconds, and she feels really hot. Her heart beat seems to be regular.

Now she is pecking away at her food and running around. She did that whole "not breathing in and shaking" thing twice within 15 minutes of each other. It seems like she recovered, went about her normal business, and then had another attack.

I don't know what to do. We don't have chicken vets unless I drive 40min away. I'm going to check on that right now and see if I can't drive her. I have scheduled an appoitment for 9:30 at my local vet but they don't have experience with chickens. Any input or ideas?

I gave her vitamin water and she drank it happily... not sure what to do and she's like my baby!

 

[nuthatched]

I'm sorry this is happening.
We have a few questions, such as what's the temp where you are, what you feed her, how old is she?

 

[Liza728w]

I'm sorry this is happening.
We have a few questions, such as what's the temp where you are, what you feed her, how old is she?

Temp is currently around 69 degrees farenheit, I'm in Oregon. She is about 3 months old. She is on purina flock raise non-medicated!

She has had neurological issues (walking in circles, eyesight issues) since she was small, but they have improved significantly. I had her on vitamin E and handfed her every day. She is a pretty normal girl now - I do suppliment her with kaytee bird feeding formula every night to make sure she keeps her weight on.

She is still just pecking away at her food with her other serama buddy, but I'm really concerned. There is another avian/poultry vet about 2.5 hours from my house that has great reviews, I may try to make an appoitment and drive her up. I'm just hoping she'll be okay. I am so worried.

 

[Banana01]

Chickens change color normally. Even super healthy chicken change between pale and red several times per day. I can't tell you why exactly, but it's normal I see many of my healthiest chickens change color every day.

The rest sounds like normal behavior to me, like she was sleeping. How longbhave you had her?

 

[Chickenslol]

I'd reccomend taking her to the vet just in case, especially combined with her nerological problems

 

[Liza728w]

Chickens change color normally. Even super healthy chicken change between pale and red several times per day. I can't tell you why exactly, but it's normal I see many of my healthiest chickens change color every day.

The rest sounds like normal behavior to me, like she was sleeping. How longbhave you had her?

Yes, I know that! I added the pale comb on her symptom list anyways.

It's not normal behaviour for a chicken to stop breathing and shake with her mouth open.

I've had her her whole life since day 0.

 

[Liza728w]

I'd reccomend taking her to the vet just in case, especially combined with her nerological problems

Thank you for your time! I thought I'd post to gain any more insight that I could. I'm so desperate. It may just be a waiting game until I can get her into the vet.

 

[Chickenslol]

Thank you for your time! I thought I'd post to gain any more insight that I could. I'm so desperate. It may just be a waiting game until I can get her into the vet.

can you tell us anything else?? when she has her episodes does she go limp?? has she been laying?? whats the poop situation? If you can try to monitor her while you wait for vet, maybe even separate her from her flock to keep an eye on her behavior

 

[Liza728w]

can you tell us anything else?? when she has her episodes does she go limp?? has she been laying?? whats the poop situation? If you can try to monitor her while you wait for vet, maybe even separate her from her flock to keep an eye on her behavior

She didn't go limp, she actually seized up a bit. I had her in my hand when she did it.

So far I've been watching her and she is just munching on food and drinking like she normally does. Very odd. She is an indoor/outdoor hen so I brought her and her buddy inside for today so I can keep watch.

Poop is very normal!

She and her 3 other siblings have not started laying yet, but they all started "squatting" for me when I pet them as of 2 days ago. It may just be a submissive thing but could be hormones as well.

 

[Buffy Brahma Mama]

As the last post mentions, I would separate her tonight and just for tonight take away the food. Feel her crop tonight and then in the morning before you give back the food. Check for poop as well.

It could be any number if things. Possibly a partial obstruction.

Check your coop tonight as well for signs of red mites. They are bad this time of year and if you have them in your coop, she could be anemic, which could also cause difficulty breathing.