Help! Bantam GASPING for air?!?

[petitesphinx]

She just sits there and opens and closes her mouth over and over again, her body is breathing HEAVY up and down, up and down?!?

She won't make noise or run from me when I pick her up. She's not eating, just sitting. She's about 5 months old and not laying yet.

What should I do? The others are fine, so I hope it's not a sickness through the coop.

I have her inside the house in a box. I took video and will try and post it later.

Please advise, I've never had chickens or have seen them do this.

It's like she's gasping for air...

 

[dlhunicorn]

need more info like breed age weather conditions feed past symptoms (any wetness around the eyes? congestion?) etc.
In general if your bird is panting like you describe you need to put electrolytes in the water immediately... if you do not have the "proper" electrolytes (such as DURVET or such) then you can use a diluted childrens pedialyte or even diluted gatorade but proper electrolytes are best.
ETA: look inside the beak for any placques or such

 

[petitesphinx]

Small Bantam-weighs 8 ounces

It's about 80 degrees here now-cooler at night-50's.

The others are fine so far.

They eat medicated food. Their coop is a dirt bottom, she's not allowed to free range yet due to her size.

She lookes healthy and fine, just her mouth is opening and closing like she's panting like a dog would..


Thank you!

 

[dlhunicorn]

separate to a temp stable and draft free area ensuring the correct temp she should have (as she will be unable to get sufficently to the feed and drink) and add electrolytes...
...being so small it will be difficult to look in the beak but do attempt to do so... if you can offer her a bit of live culture yogurt with the med starter sprinkled on top... main thing is to get her hydrated (dribble the electrolyte water along beak or dip beak gently in water to encourage her to drink...do not squirt a bunch of water in her beak as a bird is unable to close the opening leading to the lungs)...

 

[lockedhearts]

Does she have any discharge from her eyes or nose? The gasping is a characterisitc of CRD