Gasping for air, blood on comb and beak, feathers all over run

[mblack]

Please help! I went outside this morning to let my hens out of the run. One of them sounded like she was gasping for air. She lifts her head to the sky and closes her eyes when she opens her beak to breathe. She has some blood on her comb and the top of her beak. She doesn't have any obvious injuries to her body. She seemed completely normal yesterday. She doesn't eat the scratch when I offer it to her. Any suggestions? I tried calling two vets and they don't treat chickens.

 

[Eggcessive]

Bring her inside in a cage to watch her. Are the feathers in the run hers? Does she have symptoms of wry neck or is she holding her head up to breathe? It's possible that she could have been attacked or been hurt, but she may also have a respiratory disease called ILT which can cause bloody mucus to be produced. The chicken will try to clear the airway by slinging it's head around getting blood on the walls. You may have to do more investigating to find out what is going on for sure. Is she at the age to molt?

 

[dawg53]

Bring her inside in a cage to watch her. Are the feathers in the run hers? Does she have symptoms of wry neck or is she holding her head up to breathe? It's possible that she could have been attacked or been hurt, but she may also have a respiratory disease called ILT which can cause bloody mucus to be produced. The chicken will try to clear the airway by slinging it's head around getting blood on the walls. You may have to do more investigating to find out what is going on for sure. Is she at the age to molt?

x2 It sounds like it could possibly be Infectious Laryngotracheitis (ILT.) Here's a link, scroll down to read about it:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[mblack]

The feathers in the run were hers. There was also a lot of disturbed dirt around our run, like an animal tried to get in. We have a very sturdy coop and entirely enclosed run (with hardware cloth, the tight small squares of metal). We also buried fencing around the entire enclosure to keep predators out. I called our local poultry/bunny farm (Eden Farms) and spoke with the owner. He seems to think a raccoon got its hand through a tiny hole somewhere and grabbed her head/neck. She mostly sat around all day resting. I saw her eat a few times and drink a little bit. She got out and roamed very little with the rest of the girls. I got her to eat scratch and drink water from a dropper. She doesn't make any noise (no clucking or anything). The gasping isn't as bad anymore but she still does it and just looks so sad. I've also contacted some of my local friends that raise chickens.

Would it be bad to take her away from the other hens? Will they pick on her because she is not well?

Thanks for answering my post! I appreciate any feedback I get. The more knowledge I have the better I am at helping her. Thanks!

 

[mblack]

I forgot to mention that I have inspected her feces and there is no obvious blood. She does not have a runny nose and nothing appears wrong with her eyes. I read the article you suggested. Thank you. Where do people typically get antibiotics for chickens?

 

[chickenmomma15]

Just went through some injury in my flock tractor supply has the antibiotics make sure you give her vitamins also . I am still treating one of my hens who got wry neck after a dog attacked my flock. Electrolytes are important to recovery also. Hope she gets better

 

[Kyzmette]

Any time there is blood you should separate, or the other chickens will peck at it. If you've already cleaned her off or its blackened, it shouldn't be an issue.