heavy breathing

[Galvez Ranch]

Hi Guys,

I am new to chicken life...
I have 7 pullets (my chicken mamas) that are not egg laying yet.
They are about 6 months old.
Yesterday I noticed my (Rhode Island Red) Wendy Peffercorn starting to
what I thought was squat. She became very friendly, more than usual. And was off by herself in the nesting box. Today, she is breathing heavily though, so I am getting concerned.
She does not have any other symptoms and seems healthy otherwise. She stands and moves around but seems much more calm and mellow than normal. Doesn't seem to have a huge interest in food right now but still pecking around a little and scratching ground occasionally.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Could be she's feeling those first few twinges and cramps that I'm sure egg laying entails. I had a pullet act almost sick for a full day before her first egg. She kept laying on the ground panting, and would move when poked but went back to the behavior.

They do become very friendly and often very talkative before laying as well. I sometimes feel like a lamaze coach with some of them.

It's possible she's dealing with a small infection of some sort, generally they become lethargic and are off their feed. Just keep an eye on her.

 

[aart]

Well, it's hot there too?

 

[casportpony]

Hi Guys,

I am new to chicken life...
I have 7 pullets (my chicken mamas) that are not egg laying yet.
They are about 6 months old.
Yesterday I noticed my (Rhode Island Red) Wendy Peffercorn starting to
what I thought was squat. She became very friendly, more than usual. And was off by herself in the nesting box. Today, she is breathing heavily though, so I am getting concerned.
She does not have any other symptoms and seems healthy otherwise. She stands and moves around but seems much more calm and mellow than normal. Doesn't seem to have a huge interest in food right now but still pecking around a little and scratching ground occasionally.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Welcome to BYC! How is she today?

 

[Galvez Ranch]

It was very hot that week!

 

[Galvez Ranch]

Welcome to BYC! How is she today?

Sadly, Wendy passed shortly after my post. I do think she was trying to pass her first egg. She appeared very stressed but wanted to be near us. She was panting, but it was hot. She was in the shade, had normal poops and was drinking water even scratching the ground shortly before. We checked back in on her within the hour and she appeared to have struggled and knocked a few things around in her nest box and the coop. My kids were so sad. We changed the feed, water and all nesting material in coop and the others are all healthy still today. It was over 102 degrees that day....

 

[sweet6chicks]

So sorry Wendy didn't make it. We had a 8-9 month old chicken who began panting and also sort of coughing. took her to the vet and it was determined that she had a fungal (aspergilosis) infection in her trachea. She did not survive, poor sweetie.