Hen with Difficulty Breathing and Antibiotic Question

[Blue_Myst]

Just when I thought it was over, my Buff Orpington hen started having trouble breathing again

She's three years old, and I've been giving her a wormer for three days (Fenbendazole in Equibits) in case it was gapeworm. Before the wormer, her symptoms included stretching out her neck and taking large gulps, coughing as if something was blocking her trachea. No discharge. It's almost like she was yawning, but would do it constantly.

Now she's stopped doing the neck-stretching as much, but instead takes little gasps all the time! She'll have her beak closed, make a few low sniffling noises, and then open her beak to take a gulp of air. Now her crown is starting to turn pale, and I can tell her energy is slacking. I've also seen a little excess saliva or mucus in her beak (I think because she has her beak open all the time), but that's the only discharge I've seen. I haven't seen her in the nest box for a few days. She is still eating and drinking as far as I can tell.

What do you think? A respiratory infection? Could gapeworm have caused the infection? None of my other chickens have this, just the BO.

I think I saw some Tetracyline (sp?) and possibly Tylan at my feed store--which would be the best choice for a respiratory infection?

Thank you for any help you can give me--I've never had to deal with this kind of problem before and I'd hate to lose this hen out of ignorance

 

[WingingIt]

Her comb turning pale is a sign that she's not getting enough oxygen, I think, so it could be a respiratory thing but it could be a heart thing, too, due to her age. I don't know the answer to the meds question, but hopefully someone will come along soon who does. Good luck!

 

[jerseygirl1]

My hens were doing that once, two of them - TYlan 50, 1/4 cc for bantams, 1/2 cc for large fowl for five days, once a day in the breastbone.

 

[tammye]

look up respiratory infection here in the search. I think giving wormer to a sick hen can make them weaker, give her some yogurt to help her intestines and some electrlyte solution in her water for strenght. good luck

 

[Blue_Myst]

Thanks for the input

She looked a little better this morning, but still under the weather.

The only thing I could find at the feed store was Duramycin-10 (Tetracyline Hydrochloride). Would this work?

Is this all right to mix in with a wet mash, too?

 

[Debbielucia]

Hi the breathing problem could be due to fluid on her lungs , same thing happenend to mine along with an egg stuck inside her
she just died in my arms it was heartbreraking she was so ill had been suffering for few weeks vets gave me antibiotics which did help
her breathing , we tried steam , baths and olive oil and vets everyday but she was too weak .
Get to your local vets and get her on antibiotics asap , i wish you luck

Debbie