Hen has been panting hard all day but it is not hot outside

[bluegirlrose]

https://imgur.com/a/cZNXTEP

link to a video of her panting


She is a small appenzeller spitzhauben. She has been lethargic and panting all day, but not vocalizing while usually very vocal. She stands okay and doesn't seem outwardly injured.
The rest of the flock is fine. She has been acting fine up till today. I got her to drink a little electrolyte solution a while ago. She has a little poop around her vent, but her vent doesn't look red or swollen. Her crop feels fine, but she seems a little thin. She is isolated now in a quiet kennel.

I just wish I knew how to help her! Any advice is much appreciated thank you.

 

[nuthatched]

How is she standing?

 

[bluegirlrose]

How is she standing?

she can stand but her legs seem weak. I think she may be egg bound.

 

[coach723]

Did you feel for an egg? You can insert a gloved, lubed finger 1 -2 inches into her vent, see if you can feel an egg. I would give her a calcium citrate +D tablet or capsule once a day (citracal or generic equivalent, if the mini's give two, you are aiming for about 600 mg). That will help with contractions if she's having trouble passing an egg. I usually move them to a low light, quiet area, crate them if needed, so they can relax and calm down, that also sometimes helps. A warm epsom salt bath soak can also sometimes help them relax. I've had them pass the egg in the bath on occasion.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

My hen Lucille had that, she was panting very hard like crazy, no other symptoms. Vet said possibly congestive heart failure.

 

[bluegirlrose]

Did you feel for an egg? You can insert a gloved, lubed finger 1 -2 inches into her vent, see if you can feel an egg. I would give her a calcium citrate +D tablet or capsule once a day (citracal or generic equivalent, if the mini's give two, you are aiming for about 600 mg). That will help with contractions if she's having trouble passing an egg. I usually move them to a low light, quiet area, crate them if needed, so they can relax and calm down, that also sometimes helps. A warm epsom salt bath soak can also sometimes help them relax. I've had them pass the egg in the bath on occasion.

Thank you so much for the advice. I did all these things but I could never feel an egg inside her. Everything just seemed really swollen inside. She was in a lot of pain and getting steadily more exhausted. Since nothing was helping we made the difficult decision to cull her today. I wish I could have helped her but she was in seriously bad shape. I hope it was the right decision. Thank you again for your kindness!

 

[bluegirlrose]

My hen Lucille had that, she was panting very hard like crazy, no other symptoms. Vet said possibly congestive heart failure.

Truthfully I wonder if it was something like this. I could never feel an egg inside her when I checked. Perhaps the distention I felt in her abdomen was water belly from congestive heart failure. She was obviously suffering a ton so we culled her today. Thank you for your reply!

 

[coach723]

A necropsy, as hard as that might be to consider, is the best way to know what happened for sure.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Truthfully I wonder if it was something like this. I could never feel an egg inside her when I checked. Perhaps the distention I felt in her abdomen was water belly from congestive heart failure. She was obviously suffering a ton so we culled her today. Thank you for your reply!

Oh no I am so so sorry for your loss. You did a good thing by ending her suffering.