Favorite hen having hard time breathing

[wildheartdb]

She has insisted on getting up on the washing machine with a friend. In this video you can hear her breathing, sometimes it is louder than this....seems like her beak opens on exhale?

How do I upload a video...?

 

[BarredRockMom]

I don't know why she's having a hard time breathing. But I think she's fussy about being held & touched because she's not feeling well. If you just let her be in her box and don't try picking her up or snuggling like normal, she won't have to struggle, raise her heart rate or her respirations. That's not to say that you can't pet her gently while you speak softly to her. She'll probably appreciate having you around & having some interaction with you.

Now, when you have to handle her, perhaps someone could help to hold her while you do other things (examine, put on Vet Rx, give meds, etc?). If it's just you, you'll have to do your best with her, sorry to say.

 

[BarredRockMom]

She has insisted on getting up on the washing machine with a friend. In this video you can hear her breathing, sometimes it is louder than this....seems like her beak opens on exhale?

How do I upload a video...?

I have heard people say that you post the video to YouTube then provide the link...

 

[azygous]

Vet RX is like Vicks. It helps soothe a sick chicken. It's not a medicine, though, and has no healing value.

Here's how to handle your hen to look inside her mouth. Grab a big bath towel and gently but firmly wrap her securely in it so she can't flap, squirm or kick. Sometimes I wrap an ACE bandage around the towel to keep the chicken from working it loose.

Then bring one hand behind her head and work your finger into the side of her beak. This is the hardest part. Getting the beak open. You won't hurt her, and she'll wiggle her head like mad to get your hand off her head. But once you get a finger into her beak, then you can use the other hand to open her mouth all the way. Once you get it open, she won't snap it shut like an alligator. It should stay open with minimal pressure.

Have a flashlight handy to see well. If there isn't a nice hole at the center of her throat, but the tissue looks swollen closed, that's her problem. Or she could have crusty lesions in there. Or she could have a hair wrapped around her tongue and it's swelling her throat closed.

It absolute essential to look in her mouth.

 

[wildheartdb]

Here is a link to a video I just took of her...doesn't her breathing seem odd?

 

[BarredRockMom]

She's so pretty . Please tell her that even though she's not feeling well, people are commenting about her & how lovely she is. And that we all hope she's feeling better very soon.

 

[wildheartdb]

Vet RX is like Vicks. It helps soothe a sick chicken. It's not a medicine, though, and has no healing value.

Here's how to handle your hen to look inside her mouth. Grab a big bath towel and gently but firmly wrap her securely in it so she can't flap, squirm or kick. Sometimes I wrap an ACE bandage around the towel to keep the chicken from working it loose.

Then bring one hand behind her head and work your finger into the side of her beak. This is the hardest part. Getting the beak open. You won't hurt her, and she'll wiggle her head like mad to get your hand off her head. But once you get a finger into her beak, then you can use the other hand to open her mouth all the way. Once you get it open, she won't snap it shut like an alligator. It should stay open with minimal pressure.

Have a flashlight handy to see well. If there isn't a nice hole at the center of her throat, but the tissue looks swollen closed, that's her problem. Or she could have crusty lesions in there. Or she could have a hair wrapped around her tongue and it's swelling her throat closed.

It absolute essential to look in her mouth.

Ok I bundled her in a towel and this is what I saw...tell me if you need me to do it again to see more! Thank you sooo much for helping! This hen is a little angel so I want to do everything I can for her!

 

[azygous]

The video was good, but too quick for me to really understand what I was seeing. I think I caught a glimpse of yellow plaque. That would indicate an infection in her throat, possibly closing down her airway. The infection may be canker, a protoza that won't respond to an antibiotic. You need an anti-protozoa med like this. https://www.revivalanimal.com/product/fish-zole?sku=22166-698 You can order it and have it shipped right away. Or ask for it at your local Petsmart.

 

[BarredRockMom]

I am not an expert by any means, so I'm not sure what I'm seeing. I can't tell if that's my inexperienced eyes or the lighting or both...

The chicken throats that I have looked down have been Pinker than what I thought that I saw. And I wasn't sure that I could see her airway...

 

[BarredRockMom]

The video was good, but too quick for me to really understand what I was seeing. I think I caught a glimpse of yellow plaque. That would indicate an infection in her throat, possibly closing down her airway. The infection may be canker, a protoza that won't respond to an antibiotic. You need an anti-protozoa med like this. https://www.revivalanimal.com/product/fish-zole?sku=22166-698 You can order it and have it shipped right away. Or ask for it at your local Petsmart.