Labored/heavy breathing 4 1/2 year old buff orpington HELP

[Summer9898]

Please help! She is my only baby and I don’t know what to do. She has been having a difficulty breathing, I can hear her breaths. She also sneezes and has a runny nose. She eats and drinks normally. I tried to search for remedies and came across the Vetrx poultry aid, would that help? She is 4 1/2 years old and has stopped laying eggs for a long time now. I would appreciate all your suggestions, I’ll do anything not to lose her!

 

[azygous]

This is what you need to treat a respiratory illness. https://www.jedds.com/shop/tylan-soluble-100-g/ The Vet RX is sort of like Vick's, an aid to relieve symptoms but not a cure.

 

[ILoveBabySilkies]

So sorry to hear about your baby. I’m not very experienced with this but I will tag some people that may be able to help, @Wyorp Rock @sourland @azygous.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Please help! She is my only baby and I don’t know what to do. She has been having a difficulty breathing, I can hear her breaths. She also sneezes and has a runny nose. She eats and drinks normally. I tried to search for remedies and came across the Vetrx poultry aid, would that help? She is 4 1/2 years old and has stopped laying eggs for a long time now. I would appreciate all your suggestions, I’ll do anything not to lose her!

Welcome To BYC!

Can you post some photos of your hen and her poop?

What's her crop like? Is it emptying overnight?
Have you added any new birds in the last 30 days?

Feel her abdomen below the vent between her legs, does she have any feeling of fluid or bloat?
She's not laid eggs in a long time. While agree, that it probably won't hurt to treat this like a respiratory disease, I would also be checking her crop and consider whether the symptoms you describe might be related to reproductive issues as well.

 

[Summer9898]

Thank you!!
It does seem like there is a little bloating going on, her crop is emptying overnight. She is my only hen.

 

[Summer9898]

This is what you need to treat a respiratory illness. https://www.jedds.com/shop/tylan-soluble-100-g/ The Vet RX is sort of like Vick's, an aid to relieve symptoms but not a cure.

Thank you, I will look into it!!

 

[Summer9898]

So sorry to hear about your baby. I’m not very experienced with this but I will tag some people that may be able to help, @Wyorp Rock @sourland @azygous.

Thank you!!! I appreciate it

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Sweet girl!
If she has some bloating, then she may be starting to show some symptoms of reproductive problems. Sadly, this can be common in laying hens. The Tylan as suggested may help with inflammation and infection. Sometimes hens can also have fluid in the abdomen that can cause them to gurgle and have difficulty breathing. Seeking vet care if that's an option is a good idea, they *should* be able to help determine if there's fluid and if it can be drained. Some people drain the fluid themselves. There is risk involved in draining, so that would be up to you.

 

[Summer9898]

Sweet girl!
If she has some bloating, then she may be starting to show some symptoms of reproductive problems. Sadly, this can be common in laying hens. The Tylan as suggested may help with inflammation and infection. Sometimes hens can also have fluid in the abdomen that can cause them to gurgle and have difficulty breathing. Seeking vet care if that's an option is a good idea, they *should* be able to help determine if there's fluid and if it can be drained. Some people drain the fluid themselves. There is risk involved in draining, so that would be up to you.

Thank you for the advice! I will take her to the vet asap to see what’s the problem