Help hen is breathing hard

[starrmar006]

When was the last time she laid an egg?

Sometime in September when she started molting

 

[micstrachan]

Aww, poor thing. Can you offer her some poultry vitamins? By any chance do you have VetRx on hand?

 

[Trux]

Ammonia toxicity...no ventilation means ammonia build up through the night with no where to go. Ammonia toxicity builds up in chickens btw...
One other thing, we had a girl of ours was having trouble breathing, wife rubbed some vicks under her wattles and on the back of her head, she was breathing fine the next morning, I was amazed to say the least. Said her dad used to do that when they had a chicken with breathing problems

 

[starrmar006]

Aww, poor thing. Can you offer her some poultry vitamins? By any chance do you have VetRx on hand?

I've never herd of that till today ill have to get some

 

[starrmar006]

Ammonia toxicity...no ventilation means ammonia build up through the night with no where to go. Ammonia toxicity builds up in chickens btw...
One other thing, we had a girl of ours was having trouble breathing, wife rubbed some vicks under her wattles and on the back of her head, she was breathing fine the next morning, I was amazed to say the least. Said her dad used to do that when they had a chicken with breathing problems

ill try that if I have some
Edit: I just now tried it so only time will tell

 

[starrmar006]

but I did notice her eyes are running almost like she has tears about to spill out

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sometime in September when she started molting

but I did notice her eyes are running almost like she has tears about to spill out

You never did tell us how her crop felt - does it have anything in it this morning?
Have you introduced new chickens within the last 30 days?

Breath that smells bad, along with watery eyes and the other symptoms you describe, I would say she has a respiratory illness.
Could be Infectious Coryza, Mycoplasma, Infectious Bronchitis, ILT or another illness that chickens can have.
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

If she is still in respiratory distress, I would be careful getting fluids into her, but she needs to stay hydrated.

With this being so close to Christmas, I don't know if you can see a vet, but that would be best. You can try giving her Tylan50 which can be found in most feed stores like Tractor Supply. Dosage is .25ml per pound of weight given orally 3 times a day for 5 days.
Since there is a bad odor, she may have more than one thing going on or it could just be respiratory illness. Sour crop comes to mind, canker too but respiratory illnesses like Infectious Coryza is supposed to smell bad. If it's Coryza, the Tylan50 may help but a sulfa drug is a better choice of treatment. You can get that from your vet or order it online.

Let us know how she's doing.

 

[Eggcessive]

She is obviously very sick. Watery eyes sounds like a respiratory infection, but it usually causes sneezing or coughing as well. Check her crop to see if it is emptying overnight, and it should not be felt by morning. It would feel full at the end of a day of eating and drinking. But if it is full and firm or puffy, she might have a crop problem such as impacted crop or sour crop. Sour crop would cause really stinky breath and some vomiting, which you have already described. They can’t get enough nutrients to pass through the digestive system when the crop or gizzard is not functioning.

I have lost a few hens who have been suffering from reproductive disorders, such as internal laying, egg yolk peritonitis, ascites, or oviduct cancer. They sometimes developed impacted or crop, later sour crop, from the pressure on the abdominal organs.

If a vet is possible, they might help with a diagnosis, but I am afraid that she may be dying. The Poultry NutriDrench vitamins can be given orally a drop at a time up to 2 ml per day. If you can check her crop and let us know how it feels, that will help.

 

[casportpony]

Is a vet an option?

How is she this morning?

 

[starrmar006]

alright I went out there just noe to check on her and she is so weak she can't even hold up her head she is not eating or drinking is there a way to force feed her just till she gets strong enough?