Help hen is breathing hard

[starrmar006]

today I went outside to go check on my hens and to let the free range when I notices my 9 month old hen breathing hard and gasping for air i don't know how long this has been going on but i need held determining what is wrong
I have her inside by the warm fire

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Warmth and fresh air is good therapy for an ill bird.
There's nothing else to do without knowing what the malady is.
What is the ventilation like in your coop?
Poor ventilation is the root of most respiratory problems. It always rears its ugly head this time of year when people attempt to keep their chickens warm.
(which they don't need as much as fresh air)

 

[starrmar006]

we have good ventilation in our coop we have 3 in diameter holes every 5 in and windows we open in the summers

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Windows need to be open year round.
That's why respiratory issues crop up when people don't keep the windows open in winter.
1 sq. ft. of opening per bird is optimal.

 

[starrmar006]

some days when it gets stinky we keep the big doors open all day

 

[ChickenCanoe]

That's good but when the doors are closed at night, there is no ventilation.

 

[starrmar006]

they are only in the coop at night otherwise they are outside 24/7

 

[ChickNanny13]

some days when it gets stinky we keep the big doors open all day

Chickens respiratory are very sensitive, you're going to have to deal with the "stinky" when the doors are closed. Got a picture of your set up? What do you have on the floor of the coop? Do you have poop boards under the roosts?

That's good but when the doors are closed at night, there is no ventilation.

2x You chicken could be suffering from the build up of the ammonia in the coop (doors closed). Just cause they're outside during the day, the build up in the coop can & will affect them. Like I've told my kids, if you can't handle don't expect an animal to. Can you get a video of her uploaded to You Tube then linked to here so we can see her breathing? Check her eye/nostrils, are there any discharge?

 

[ChickenCanoe]

I'm sorry, but what I'm trying to explain is that they are inside a building for well over 12 hours a night without adequate ventilation. It only takes an hour or two to build up bad air.
All my buildings have huge windows open all year except one.
That building has a fan blowing cold air into the building around the clock expelling fungus, virus, bacteria and dust.
I've never had a respiratory problem in birds in my life.
They are outdoor animals with tiny respiratory systems that can quickly be compromised. Chickens can live in trees in temps well below freezing.

You have a bird with a respiratory problem that hasn't been diagnosed. I'm just trying to give you possible causes. There is no treatment other than what you have already done without a diagnosis.

 

[Eggcessive]

today I went outside to go check on my hens and to let the free range when I notices my 9 month old hen breathing hard and gasping for air i don't know how long this has been going on but i need held determining what is wrong
I have her inside by the warm fire

I agree with the good overhead ventilation posts. Can you check your hen by cupping her lower belly between her legs for any enlargement, fullness, or tightness? Has she been laying eggs recently, and were they normal eggs with hard shells? Can you hear any rattling or wheezing when you listen to her breathing? Do you see any watery or foamy eyes or nasal drainage? Is she overweight?

Gasping can be a sign of respiratory diseases, but also might be a sign of ascites or water belly, a fluid accumulation inside the abdomen. That can happen with heart failure and some reproductive disorders.