Help, 18 month old leghorn, wheezy, lethargic

[HeidiN]

My leghorn hasn't been her usual feisty self the last few days. Inactive, tail Down, feathers ruffled. Its been hot, so I thought maybe she just wasn't tolerating the heat. She would stay back in the run while the others free ranged. Today I noticed her sneeze, hoarse voice and wheezy, so I removed her from the flock. Put her in dog kennel in garage with oregano in her water. I don't notice any mucous or watery eyes, just the wheezing and an occasional sneeze.

This poor girl has been having other troubles. Soft shelled eggs, then teeny tiny eggs, and a bumble that came back on her foot after removing it 3 months ago. I need to work on that but don't want to further stress her immune system.

Also, we have had less than ideal air quality with smoke from wildfires in Canada and NW United States blowing smoke into our region. Maybe that's to blame?

Is there any hope? Our chickens are the kids' pets, so I am Resistant to the cull the whole flock remedy. We only have 5 birds. Don't have much money to see a vet.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your sick hen. Don't assume that she has a respiratory disease if she has been exposed to the environmental conditions you have described. Would it be possible to bring her inside in a dog crate with food and water, where it would not be too cool, but the air quality is better? I would try to get her eating and drinking, and give her time to recover. With her history of egg laying problems, she may be more likely to be suffering from internal laying, oviduct infection, or egg yolk peritonitis. Some bacteria can also spread and cause respiratory symptoms, so keep that in mind. Antibiotics are usually not used much in chickens because of the medicines remaining in the eggs or meat long after, but it depends what meds are used. Antibiotics may or may not help with a reproductive infection, and if she is laying internally, there may not be anything you can do, but provide comfort for her. Some use antibiotics such as Baytril they get online, or things like amoxicillin, and others. Most are not available without a vet in Canada. Fish or pigeon antibiotics are available online, but one has to consider antibiotic resistance with their use. I would cull her if she becomes miserable and is suffering.

 

[HeidiN]

She is in the garage, just hanging out in the dog crate. Doesn't seem to be eating much, ate a little this morning, but wasn't interested in the treats I offered her. Her wheezy sound isn't constant and doesn't sneeze a lot, just occasional. But her voice is really hoarse sounding.
I have powdered vitamin c, would that be safe and effective to offer to her?
Since the others have already been "exposed" to whatever she has, I guess quarantine is only for her benefit?

 

[Eggcessive]

Is she still sneezing? If she has no other symptoms, such as nasal drainage or eye drainage, then you may want to place her back with the others, as long as the air and ventilation are okay. If she was exposed to a respiratory disease then yes the others have already been exposed or exposed at the same time as she. See if she will eat and drink better if she is caged with food and water in the coop with the others. Offer some chopped egg, tuna, or liver as treats, and some will take feed mixed with water. Is mold or wet conditions a problem in or around the coop? The sneezing and wheezing may be related to the smoke, but aspergillosis from mold sometimes causes wheezing.

 

[HeidiN]

No more sneezing that I've heard. She ate and drank this morning. I can't tell if her wheezing is still there. Never any drainage. I gave VetRx yesterday and put in water for the others. I'm thinking of returning her to the flock today. She seems lonely.
It's so hot and dry right now, I can't imagine any mold problems. I have been spraying the run on hot days to help cool things off a bit, maybe the kids got overzealous with the spraying. I got a mister, so it's more controlled now.

 

[Eggcessive]

I hope she continues to get better, and I would put her back with the others, since she may eat better. Keep us posted on how she is getting along.

 

[HeidiN]

I put her back with the flock yesterday. She got a beating from the top hen, but I put a stop to it and played "hall monitor" for a while. She still isn't very active, but got her fluff butt feathers cleaned up from the runny poop she had had. She still makes a honk sound, but not all the time. Overall she's very quiet and subdued.

 

[HeidiN]

A week later, no change, except she's now molting. She just lays around dustbathing but does go out ranging with the flock part of the time. I got probiotics/vitamins for their water yesterday. Her chest still sounds gurgly/croupy.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry that she is still doing anout the same. Molt can be hard on them, so keep an eye out to make sure that she is getting enough to eat and drink. My chickens eat much less during a molt, but whenever I have chopped scrambled eggs, they scramble for bits of it. Chopped tuna, liver, and hamburger can also help.