Help, hen wheezing!!

[SmartyChick]

Just now I noticed one of my hens, Sweets, is wheezing really bad. She has her beak wide open, struggling for breath. I took her from the others and am isolating her. She also suddenly had what seemed to be a sneezing fit. Does she have an upper respiratory infection?? What should I do??

 

[gckiddhouse]

Well, here's a bump. I think you may be right that you are dealing with a respiratory infection. When we found our hen like this, she died really quickly. The treatment is antibiotics. It may be too late for this hen, but check the other chickens. If they are shaking their heads, then they all need to be treated. And if one hen is sick, then it is a good bet that they all need to be treated anyway. If you can get some antibiotics in her, she might make it. So sorry.

 

[SmartyChick]

What kind of antibiotics??? Do you inject, put it in her food/water?? I really hope she doesn't die, but I REALLY hope it doesn't infect my flock.

 

[gckiddhouse]

You can get a tetracycline pouch to add to their water. Follow directions. They usually have it at the feed stores. I am so sorry. I know you are stressed about the one that is really sick. Is her comb purple?

 

[SmartyChick]

no, it was red

 

[gckiddhouse]

Maybe you can save her if you get her some antibiotics. Mix them as directed and if she won't drink, then use a dropper to get them into her. Hope it works for you! I also hope you get some advice from someone other than me. I really don't have all that much experience.

When I found a hen like this and she died. I went out and found that my other hens were shaking their heads and I treated them. I also wanted to know why they were sick. I went in the coop and started digging around and found that we had a water leak over some hay. Hay molds quickly!!! There was a lot of mold and I am sure that is why they were sick. I pulled every bit of hay out of the coop and fixed the water leak. Once we got it all dried up in there and treated all the chickens, they were fine. Hay is not such a good thing in the coop. We stick to wood products now.

 

[SmartyChick]

Thanks,
Made an emergency trip to tractor supply company 45 min. away.

We gave her the water/antibiotics mixture in a dropper. Everyone else in the coop seems fine. Gave them all a squirt in the mouth too. Sweets is now in my bathroom resting in a dog crate. Can a chicken have a fever?? Her head feels hot. Her earlobes and wattles are dark read. She wheezes horribly, but I hesitate to put her down because we have had "miracle" chicken healing before.

so hopefully she'll make it through the night.

Thanks so much for the advice. In the morning I will check the coop for any signs of the source.

 

[jennh]

Make sure she doesn't have gapeworms. I had a chicken with these same symptoms, but she had gapeworms.

Jen

 

[SmartyChick]

Whatever she has (I'm pretty sure it's an upper respiratory infection) the antibiotics seem to be helping. Her wheezing is quieter, but she still occasionally has a sneezing/coughing fit. Also giving her an immune support tincture from Molly's Herbals. Later I think I'm going to turn on the shower really hot (she won't be in it) and get it all steamy in there, maybe that will help. That's what I do when I have an asthma attack.

I certainly wouldn't hurt her.