Hen on antibiotics started eating again but still breathing heavy and not moving out of her box

[jade1378]

Just hoping someone can help me!! I noticed my chicken acting different on March 6th and brought her into the garage so i could monitor her. She was breathing harder than usual and not moving around much. Then next day i found a vet that would actually see her and took her in for a checkup. The vet checked to make sure she didn't have an egg stuck in her or an impacted crop. He noticed that her comb was a dark red and that she was quite thin so obviously hadn't been eating much for the past week or so. He also noticed that her breathing was a bit laboured and it sounded like she had fluid in her lungs (a sign of either an infection or heart failure). He gave her a shot of antibiotics in case it was an infection and sent me on my way. The next day she started eating and drinking again and has since put some weight back on however, she is still not moving around much (just staying put in her box) and her breathing is still quite heavy. I took her back two days later for another antibiotic shot, and will be taking her again on March 14th for another one. I was just hoping someone has had a similar experience and could tell me how long it took their chicken to get back to normal (or not) after receiving antibiotics. She doesn't seem to be suffering and still preens herself and pecks at you if she doesn't feel like being touched. i've raised her from a day old and love her like crazy so any help would be greatly appreciated

 

[dawg53]

Just hoping someone can help me!! I noticed my chicken acting different on March 6th and brought her into the garage so i could monitor her. She was breathing harder than usual and not moving around much. Then next day i found a vet that would actually see her and took her in for a checkup. The vet checked to make sure she didn't have an egg stuck in her or an impacted crop. He noticed that her comb was a dark red and that she was quite thin so obviously hadn't been eating much for the past week or so. He also noticed that her breathing was a bit laboured and it sounded like she had fluid in her lungs (a sign of either an infection or heart failure). He gave her a shot of antibiotics in case it was an infection and sent me on my way. The next day she started eating and drinking again and has since put some weight back on however, she is still not moving around much (just staying put in her box) and her breathing is still quite heavy. I took her back two days later for another antibiotic shot, and will be taking her again on March 14th for another one. I was just hoping someone has had a similar experience and could tell me how long it took their chicken to get back to normal (or not) after receiving antibiotics. She doesn't seem to be suffering and still preens herself and pecks at you if she doesn't feel like being touched. i've raised her from a day old and love her like crazy so any help would be greatly appreciated

Pick her up and put your ear directly on one of her sides and listen. Aside from digestive noises; listen for gurgling, wheezing, rattling. These are signs of a respiratory disease. If you hear clicking noise, it is a bad heart or heart valve. Respiratory diseases can be treated but they are contageous to other birds and they remain carriers. There isnt anything you can do for a bad heart or heart valve. Inspect her for lice/mites if you or the vet havnt already done so.

 

[jade1378]

Thank you I don't hear any ticking but there is some wheezing. I put her back out with the others this afternoon (3 hens and a rooster) and she went outside with them and scratched around for food. Then went back in the coop when it got dark and was roosting on the side of the nesting box when i went to bring her back in for the night. She still doesn't seem 100% but she definitely isn't suffering just a little lethargic still. I take her to the vet again tomorrow morning for some more antibiotics. Are you saying that if it is a respiratory disease that it would be cured by the antibiotics? Thanks again.

 

[dawg53]

Thank you I don't hear any ticking but there is some wheezing. I put her back out with the others this afternoon (3 hens and a rooster) and she went outside with them and scratched around for food. Then went back in the coop when it got dark and was roosting on the side of the nesting box when i went to bring her back in for the night. She still doesn't seem 100% but she definitely isn't suffering just a little lethargic still. I take her to the vet again tomorrow morning for some more antibiotics. Are you saying that if it is a respiratory disease that it would be cured by the antibiotics? Thanks again.

Some respiratory diseases in chickens are treatable, but not curable. Here's a link to respiratory diseases in poultry:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044