Hen struggling to breath + other issues

[asterisk]

Hi guys! I would love any pointers on my current situation. I raised this hen from an egg, and ever since about 6-8 weeks, she has had recurring rales and fatigue, usually induced by extreme temperatures (she recovered from infectious coryza without major symptoms). I have been able to help her with ice water and fans over the summer, and hot tea and heat lamps over the winter, and she fared well. However in this perfect spring weather she's been really struggling. She sits by herself and wheezes for most of the day (her beak/throat is not visibly blocked), is extremely frail, never fully molted, and has a declined appetite and empty crop. She sneezes constantly, and has laid shell-less eggs before stopping production, but still has regular discharge. Though these worse symptoms are new, she's been exposed to the flock for over a year without any other bird having a similar decline. I'm keeping her separate now and giving her VetRx and supplements, but I would love any information that could point to the root cause of her issues, I haven't been able to come up with anything through the research I've done. Thanks for reading this far!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm sorry she's having a hard time. I assume the thread below is about the same hen last year.

As mentioned, disease like Infectious Coryza or Mycoplasma make the birds carriers for life. If she has one of these, it would not be uncommon for the illness to be chronic and for her to relapse with symptoms.

I'm not sure what you can do for her. Perhaps try Oxine to see if that makes a difference if medications are not helping. https://shagbarkbantams.com/the-many-uses-of-oxine-ah-animal-health/



This is the same hen?https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wheezy-raspy-hen.1636393/#post-27946836

 

[asterisk]

I'm sorry she's having a hard time. I assume the thread below is about the same hen last year.

As mentioned, disease like Infectious Coryza or Mycoplasma make the birds carriers for life. If she has one of these, it would not be uncommon for the illness to be chronic and for her to relapse with symptoms.

I'm not sure what you can do for her. Perhaps try Oxine to see if that makes a difference if medications are not helping. https://shagbarkbantams.com/the-many-uses-of-oxine-ah-animal-health/



This is the same hen?https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wheezy-raspy-hen.1636393/#post-27946836

thank you! and yes, same hen! I was afraid that it might be chronic, because it started from such a young age, but I'm trying to find any way to improve her quality of life, and fight the relapses. Is it safe to give her anything like albuterol for more instantaneous relief?


also ignore my horrible misspelling in the title I was panicking lol

 

[Wyorp Rock]

thank you! and yes, same hen! I was afraid that it might be chronic, because it started from such a young age, but I'm trying to find any way to improve her quality of life, and fight the relapses. Is it safe to give her anything like albuterol for more instantaneous relief?


also ignore my horrible misspelling in the title I was panicking lol

I don't know if you can use Albuterol or not. @Eggcessive or @casportpony may know.

Have you ever treated her with Denagard (Tiamulin) or Tylan/Tylosin? Any antibiotic treatments at all?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would not use albuterol. That is a bronchodilator and it has side effects such as increased heart rate. Chickens have air sacks which draw air into the lungs. Leave those drugs to a vet. You wouldn’t want to kill her. Try an antibiotic as Wyorp Rock suggested, to see if it helps when she has symptoms. This hen sounds like she has some chronic problem. If not other birds have ever had symptoms, I would suspect it is just something with her. She could have aspergillosis or some other infection or organ problem. Chickens can be chronically ill their whole lives if they have damage from a respiratory disease, worms, or coccidiosis. Does she have any swelling of her abdomen under her vent? Is her crop empty first thing in the morning and then filling up with food and water? Food coming back up in the throat can cause rattly breathing and gasping. I would just try to make her comfortable and keep her eating and drinking.

 

[asterisk]

I don't know if you can use Albuterol or not. @Eggcessive or @casportpony may know.

Have you ever treated her with Denagard (Tiamulin) or Tylan/Tylosin? Any antibiotic treatments at all?

Alright. No she hasn't been on any antibiotic as of yet, I wasn't sure what would be most safe and effective for what she has, but I'll try the suggested antibiotics.

She was also not vaccinated as a chick, could that have contributed to her being the only individual affected by the sickness?

Thank you Wyorp Rock you've been a lifesaver to me for a while now you are much appreciated

 

[asterisk]

I would not use albuterol. That is a bronchodilator and it has side effects such as increased heart rate. Chickens have air sacks which draw air into the lungs. Leave those drugs to a vet. You wouldn’t want to kill her. Try an antibiotic as Wyorp Rock suggested, to see if it helps when she has symptoms. This hen sounds like she has some chronic problem. If not other birds have ever had symptoms, I would suspect it is just something with her. She could have aspergillosis or some other infection or organ problem. Chickens can be chronically ill their whole lives if they have damage from a respiratory disease, worms, or coccidiosis. Does she have any swelling of her abdomen under her vent? Is her crop empty first thing in the morning and then filling up with food and water? Food coming back up in the throat can cause rattly breathing and gasping. I would just try to make her comfortable and keep her eating and drinking.

Alright, just making sure I'll look into the infections mentioned to see if the dots connect. No, no swelling, and when I checked on her in the last few days (late afternoon) her crop was empty while everyone else's was full, which concerned me. She's improved her eating after being separated, stress might have been a factor. She also might have held back from eating because it makes her breathing more difficult. Like you said, it gets more rattly when she's snacked a bit.

Thanks again for swooping in!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Alright. No she hasn't been on any antibiotic as of yet, I wasn't sure what would be most safe and effective for what she has, but I'll try the suggested antibiotics.

She was also not vaccinated as a chick, could that have contributed to her being the only individual affected by the sickness?

Thank you Wyorp Rock you've been a lifesaver to me for a while now you are much appreciated

Wasn't vaccinated for what?

I'd try an antibiotic and see if there's any improvement.

 

[Peggsblueinc]

I have a question for you. Can u get antibiotics over the counter and where.