Help! Short of breath, feel so bad for her!

[JimmyTX]

Hi everyone,

Take a look at this video of my poor lady...see what you think - its killing me that her breathing seems so labored (wait till end of video).

She is a 10 month old light brahma hen here in Austin, TX who has been laying (small) eggs for the better part of 4 months now. About a month ago we began hearing (and catching her) crowing once or twice per day, a pretty sad effort all in all, but she's giving it all she's got. I know this isn't rare, it almost seems like a normal thing when there are no roosters in the flock.

In the past week the crowing has gotten much more frequent (every 20 - 30 mins), and the past 2 days I've noticed it getting hoarse. Its often precluded by a short honk and head shake (sneeze?) I noticed yesterday when I held her that she was wheezing kind of like a dog squeak toy, quietly, but on every breath. Her crow has become more of a horrible sounding squeak, but she does it over and over now several times per hour. Towards the end of the day yesterday (100 F outside) I found her perched in the coop, tail drooping, with little color in her face. Picked her up and tried putting her down, she just kind of flopped over.

Brought her in to the house (bathroom) last night for observation and to cool down, she crowed a couple times overnight but seemed to rest ok. Perked up in manner quite a bit, but still droopy tail and sorry excuse for a crow. She preens some, eats some, but isn't her usual self. Is sleeping on the porch now making dog toy sounds.

Thanks to this forum, I'm pretty sure we're talking URI - so I'm giving 1 tablespoon Duramycin-10 per gallon of water to the entire flock To add insult to injury we are going to be out of town for the next 4 days (of course this happens right before vacation). I blended her up a concoction of treated water, blueberries, raw egg, and a bit of honey which she went beak first into...so thats good. Will do that once again this afternoon before I leave town.

I have a friend coming by to mix the water daily while I'm away, but I'm wondering from those who have used Duramycin, how fast was the improvement? I know its a 7 day treatment, but I want to be ready to react if I get the call that she has declined over the next couple of days. I want to be able to give this friend some things to look for.

Thank YOU!

The requisite answers (if not addressed above):

4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?

Not yet.

5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma.

No

6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation.

New coop? Change of bedding to straw (from hay). Its been REALLY dry here, though.

7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all.

Layer pellets, water. A bit of bread (i know, i know)

8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.

Normal, but small

10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?

Would like to avoid vet this early, but may need to go that route later.

12) Describe the housing/bedding in use

Very well ventilated 12 x 4 coop in complete shade, 3 other hens - lots of roosting opportunities. Hens are free ranged most days, all day. Dry straw.

 

[JimmyTX]

I should also mention that she isn't actively seeking and drinking water (and thus the medicine) like the other birds...slightly worrying.

 

[JimmyTX]

Bump, im leaving in two hours....can't stand it!

 

[jjthink]

Quote:
I don't think it's early, I think she's in big trouble and this could be make it or break it time for her.
JJ.

 

[JimmyTX]

Vet says she can't board her if its a URI, I may have to cull her. I cant stand to see her suffer, its killing me.

 

[ReikiStar]

So sorry. Have no idea whats wrong with her.

Maybe culling is the best thing for her.

Really am sorry you're both going through this.

 

[tinychicky]

try and open her beak and look down her throat with a flashlight. the hiccuping sort of noise makes me think she's eaten either a long piece of grass or hay or maybe straw, or something dusty like the crushed up layer pellets at the bottom of the barrel and by the way she's breathing it's been in there a while. if not that, then i've had chickens breath similarly with cocci, worms, and CRD, but all of those would have other symptoms along with it. don't cull her yet, but if there is nothing in her throat, then do iscolate her if you can.

oh, and feel her crop (the enlargment in her esophogus, right below the junction with her body cavity that stores food before releasing it slowly tot he rest of the digestive tract) is it firm but not hard or overly soft? (make sure she has not just eaten or had a lot of water, that would effect how it feels.

 

[JimmyTX]

I've got her set up in our bathroom (much cooler) with a friend coming to check on her once per day. My wife has convinced me to let her try to stick it out inside. We're heading out the door in a few minutes.

Her crop was fine last night, she had a power smoothie earlier (blueberry, egg, medicated water) so its pretty squishy now. No sour smell, either. She is still eating a few pellets here and there.

Looking down her throat yields nothing.

She rests peacefully inside, at least, as opposed to cooking in the oppressive Texas heat - even if she doesn't make it she will surely suffer less.

 

[nurse_turtle]

Gape worms? If so, highly contagious. Seriously, google that. It really looks and sounds like a real possibility. Especially the open, gaping mouth and neck stretching.

 

[jjthink]

If she has a good buddy feathered friend, I would let her have that buddy for company. She shouldn't be all alone if it can be helped - she could possibly draw comfort from a buddy.
You've probably left by now

JJ