Favorite hen having hard time breathing

[wildheartdb]

How many days of Baytril? If 3-4 days, then I would stop the Baytril. Hard to know if that's canker, but if Baytril and Tylan50 are not making it better, then I would agree, it's likely Canker (protozoa) or some type of fungal infection which antibiotics will not treat.

Some do give the Acidified Copper Sulfate treated water in addition to the Metronidazole.

How much does your hen weigh? Dosage of Metronidazole is 60mg/kg (27mg per pound) given twice a day - I would make sure she's getting the right dosage.

I'm so sorry that Margie is struggling, I hope that she gets better soon.

Thank you for replying. Today was her 4th day of Baytril, .05 ml. She is maybe 4 lbs. No change. Last night I gave her
1/2 tab of Fish Zole, and again this morning. No discharge anywhere, no swelling anywhere. No smell! Comb and wattles good color.

Looking in her mouth today it appears clear, only some bubbles in back of throat, roof slit open and clear. It is a giant battle to get her to let me open her mouth! Despite being in a towel she nearly breaks her neck to get away. No doubt afraid of not being able to breathe. A real surprise for a hen that usually loves to be held and handled. The color in her mouth and throat is not a pretty pink like it should be, but clear of visible obstructions and is kinda white or grey looking in the back of her throat. I have started the rest of the flock on 1/2 tsp Acified Copper per gallon in their waterers. I will give her access to that water since you think its ok. She clearly does not feel well and is sitting with her eyes closed and wheezing loudly with a partially open beak. I was able to get her to eat some very small blueberries this afternoon. Wont eat anything else. With no smell and no pox or discharge Im stumped???

Photos are todays pictures in her mouth...

 

[wildheartdb]

Could this be Aspergillosis? Symptoms match more closely than anything else...if so what do I treat it with?

 

[Eggcessive]

There is no easy treatment for aspergillosis. It mostly consists of removing the source of mold. Many things could cause yellow plques inside the beak, such as bacterial, fungal, viral, and protozoan organisms. Many who have treated canker say that it smells very rotten. Your local vet may be of help in taking a sample of the material and testing for what it is.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Looking in her mouth today it appears clear, only some bubbles in back of throat, roof slit open and clear. It is a giant battle to get her to let me open her mouth! Despite being in a towel she nearly breaks her neck to get away. No doubt afraid of not being able to breathe.

Glad it seems to be a bit clearer. It can be very hard to know what's causing her troubles. Hopefully if it is canker
you will see improvement quickly with the medication.

 

[micstrachan]

I’m sorry for Margie! I’ve been thinking about her, but had an early morning flight to a conference and just got back to my room from dinner. Long day!

The acidified copper sulfate is too strong. It needs to be 1/4 tsp per gallon.

Also, I think activated oxine in a vaporizor can help aspergilliosis, in case it’s that.

She still may respond to the fish zole

 

[wildheartdb]

I’m sorry for Margie! I’ve been thinking about her, but had an early morning flight to a conference and just got back to my room from dinner. Long day!

The acidified copper sulfate is too strong. It needs to be 1/4 tsp per gallon.

Also, I think activated oxine in a vaporizor can help aspergilliosis, in case it’s that.

She still may respond to the fish zole

Thank you so much for your kind thoughts and suggestions! If everybody had a Margie everybody would have 100 plus of them. Although I love all my girls, Margie is just so expressive and soulful, very intelligent and not at all chicken like. Anyway, Today is the second day of acidified copper, 1/4 tsp per gl, but Margie is refusing to drink it. She keeps going to the cat water bowl! After avoiding me all day yesterday she has jumped up on the couch and climbed onto my lap to take a nap as I type this and there is no change in the sound of her breathing. I did not give Baytril today as she had 4 days (after Tylan 50) and it has made no difference. Im worried that she is hungry but she is not eating more than a bite here or there. I have made her eggs, soft mash (w/flock raiser and added yogurt and blueberry juice), baked sweet potato, cooked diced cabbage, among other favorites but she wont eat any of it. She ate a few cackleberries (treats), but not even any blueberries today. I just have no idea what is wrong?

 

[azygous]

Try the cranberry juice in the Copper sulfate water. You may end up having to syringe it into her if she still refuses to drink. Chickens drink around 2 cups of liquid per day, so you will need to try to get that much into her over a day. Four to six ounces at a time spaced over twelve hours.

If this is canker, it can also affect the crop. So Margie could be coping with a sick crop. Give the copper sulfate time to work. Did you stop the fish zole? If so, I would keep giving it to her as it's more concentrated than the copper sulfate mixture.

 

[wildheartdb]

Try the cranberry juice in the Copper sulfate water. You may end up having to syringe it into her if she still refuses to drink. Chickens drink around 2 cups of liquid per day, so you will need to try to get that much into her over a day. Four to six ounces at a time spaced over twelve hours.

If this is canker, it can also affect the crop. So Margie could be coping with a sick crop. Give the copper sulfate time to work. Did you stop the fish zole? If so, I would keep giving it to her as it's more concentrated than the copper sulfate mixture.

She is still on the fish zole, this is the second day. I did the cranberry juice but they all still hate it!

 

[wildheartdb]

Of note, Margies poop has been normal all along and well formed, but just a few minutes ago she made a splatter that looked like black liquid with a small bit of black formed stuff in it. I mean pitch black liquid splatter. I should have taken a picture but I was too busy cleaning and disinfecting! Is that the acidified copper or the fish zole discoloring her poo? She is up and around after her nap but tires easily so naps most of the day.

 

[azygous]

When they get thirsty, they'll drink. After a bit, they will drink it as if it were plain water. It's one of those guaranteed things. Like breathing.

The black poop could be from anything. I run across a puddle of black poop in my flock a few times a week. Poop is another guaranteed thing - it will come in a variety of forms. Alone, poop is not really significant.

Are you giving Margie Poultry Nutri-drench? If so, the black poop can be from that. If you aren't giving it to her, perhaps it would help boost her reserves.