I have been reading all the posts I can about breathing problems but nothing seems to fit. We were given 6 girls from a friend who had to move. After a bit we realized they were not very young....at all. No eggs to speak of from any of them except very large gnarled ones every once in a while. Now none of them lay.
Since they arrived we have lost 3....one to a fox...one with bumble foot that was very bad and didn't improve and we ended her life....and one who was like a 90 year old granny who had problems keeping up with the flock and sat and rested whenever she could - she simply disappeared. Most likely a fox got her as well.
Now one of the old girls has been breathing badly....wheezing really. She has stopped leaving the coop pen and prefers to sit in an adjacent lean-to where the water is. Her comb is red, she is still as fat as ever and eats well. No one picks on her. She just breaths very heavily and audibly and when sitting her body moves with her breathing.
Is this just nearing the end of her life? She has no sysmptoms to suggest any kind of respiratory problems or diseases. Just taxed breathing.
We also have 3 black gascon hens and a black gascon rooster who are doing fine. All are completely free range and have the run of wherever they wish to go....much to our consternation and the health of our potted plants! We suplement their diet with organic wheat, corn, sunflower seeds and oyster shells.
Ken
Since they arrived we have lost 3....one to a fox...one with bumble foot that was very bad and didn't improve and we ended her life....and one who was like a 90 year old granny who had problems keeping up with the flock and sat and rested whenever she could - she simply disappeared. Most likely a fox got her as well.
Now one of the old girls has been breathing badly....wheezing really. She has stopped leaving the coop pen and prefers to sit in an adjacent lean-to where the water is. Her comb is red, she is still as fat as ever and eats well. No one picks on her. She just breaths very heavily and audibly and when sitting her body moves with her breathing.
Is this just nearing the end of her life? She has no sysmptoms to suggest any kind of respiratory problems or diseases. Just taxed breathing.
We also have 3 black gascon hens and a black gascon rooster who are doing fine. All are completely free range and have the run of wherever they wish to go....much to our consternation and the health of our potted plants! We suplement their diet with organic wheat, corn, sunflower seeds and oyster shells.
Ken
