Labored breathing and not moving

[AOrchard]

Hi,

I just got this hen two days ago at a swap. Totally fine last through night, went I just went out found her now breathing hard, open mouthed, a little gurgly sounding (fluid like, not dry rapsy). She doesn't want to move, though is attentive, obviously not feeling well. Slightly dark comb. Crop is empty today, was eating/drinking yesterday. Just had this watery white poo. Nostrils appear clear. Her abdomen seems fine, but to be honest I'm not really sure what normal is for her since I just got her. No idea when she last laid an egg. She had just been separated at the swap from 10 week old chicks she hatched.

When she breathes she starts to inhale and then sticks her head up quick and opens her mouth at the end. She lowers back down to a normal sitting position during exhale, then repeat. Every 15 or so breaths maybe she has a very phlegmy one.

I have a video if I can figure out how to post it.

I'm rapidly googling while consulting you all the experts and trying to get her more comfortable.

Thanks guys,
Ayshaya

 

[AOrchard]

I isolated her from the rest of the swap birds right away. Everyone else seems fine at this point.

 

[Sally PB]

@Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive ...?
I don't have any ideas, but these two might. Good luck!

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about your hen. The pictures look like she is gasping. She may have picked up a respiratory disease at the swap or came with it. Stress will sometimes bring about symptoms. There are 5-8 different respiratory diseases from viruses, bacteria, or fungus, that may have different symptoms. Many of those can infect your other birds and most make them carriers. Bacterial diseases such as MG or coryza may respond to antibiotics, but the disease is never cured. Here is a good link to common diseases and symptoms:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi,

I just got this hen two days ago at a swap. Totally fine last through night, went I just went out found her now breathing hard, open mouthed, a little gurgly sounding (fluid like, not dry rapsy). She doesn't want to move, though is attentive, obviously not feeling well. Slightly dark comb. Crop is empty today, was eating/drinking yesterday. Just had this watery white poo. Nostrils appear clear. Her abdomen seems fine, but to be honest I'm not really sure what normal is for her since I just got her. No idea when she last laid an egg. She had just been separated at the swap from 10 week old chicks she hatched.

When she breathes she starts to inhale and then sticks her head up quick and opens her mouth at the end. She lowers back down to a normal sitting position during exhale, then repeat. Every 15 or so breaths maybe she has a very phlegmy one.

I have a video if I can figure out how to post it.

I'm rapidly googling while consulting you all the experts and trying to get her more comfortable.

Thanks guys,
Ayshaya

I isolated her from the rest of the swap birds right away. Everyone else seems fine at this point.

For video, upload to youtube and provide a link.

Sorry to hear she's not well. To be honest, if she's not back to normal by now and still has those symptoms, you may want to just cull her since you just got her and she's separated from your existing flock.

 

[AOrchard]

She's breathing a little better today. It's better when she sits, then almost quiet and sort of normal. I got her to drink some tuna juice. Will see how goes.

 

[AOrchard]

Syringe fed her mackeral juice two nights in a row when she wouldn't drink. In an isolation cage with a heat lamp. She kept sounding better and better, breathing more normal, and just now decided she has an appetite and is chowing down. I'm cautiously optimistic.

 

[Eggcessive]

Glad that she is better. Let us know how she gets along. You might want to get her tested for a respiratory disease. It costs about $80 from Zoologix who sends you the swabs to collect and send in:
http://www.zoologix.com/avian/Datasheets/PoultryRespiratoryPanel.htm

 

[AOrchard]

Update: At least four other chickens got it very mildly and 12 other chickens were theoretically exposed before I got it isolated. All cleared up on their own without interventions from me. Turns out this particular hen had hardly been eating before as she would only eat from the ground and not the feeder. (She finally uses the feeder now.) I assume this contributed to her getting so sick compared the others, which were more like mild colds. I may still try that Zoologix swab, that looked really interesting! Not really sure what it is, the symptoms don't seem to align with my Google research, not least because everybody recovered fine on their own. Very glad it seems like it's clearing up by itself just fine.