New chicken panting excessively

[Bellsferrycottage]

I picked up 3 chickens off a Facebook group on Sunday. They are currently in my sunroom quarantining from the rest of my flock. 2 are doing fine although they were all very scared the first day. I was told she was a year old.

She has been panting (open mouth breathing) since we got her. No wheezing, gurgling noises, nasal discharge, or any kind of odor that I can detect. I have given her a warm bath for about 15 minutes Monday and did a direct dose of nutridrench and that perked her up. She’s now preening, eating treats, drinking, and eating feed on her own. I did another dose of nutridrench and their water has electrolytes since Sunday. They also have plain drinking water.

Her poops are normal, her vent looks normal. However, she is still breathing with her mouth open. She could not be hot because she is in the sunroom with a fan and AC. It should be at least 75F in there. I also have not seen her sit down as well, which is concerning. I’ve felt around for an egg and didn’t feel anything. Abdomen feels normal.

Pic sent to me on FB and the 2nd one is her today. She’d stop panting for a few minutes then go back at it again.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

If everything else is normal I would lean towards her being stressed and a little terrified from the new environment. Animals just like humans when stressed will often have increased heart rates and heavier more rapid breathing. Chickens also do not like change at all and even the littlest change can stress a chicken out let alone a complete move to somewhere new.

 

[Bellsferrycottage]

If everything else is normal I would lean towards her being stressed and a little terrified from the new environment. Animals just like humans when stressed will often have increased heart rates and heavier more rapid breathing. Chickens also do not like change at all and even the littlest change can stress a chicken out let alone a complete move to somewhere new.

That’s what I’m hoping as well. These are my first batch of grown chickens and the only ones I have were raised by me as chicks. Chicks waste no time running around and exploring their new environment and making a huge mess so I’m not used to this at all!

 

[Bellsferrycottage]

Edited to add: I felt the other girls abdomen and hers feel bigger and more squishy. I’m worried about ascites but I know they also store fat in the area and she is quite rotund. I’m keeping an eye on her for a few more days to see if it gets any bigger.

 

[Bellsferrycottage]

Now she is making wheezing noises. I’ve done another direct dose of nutridrench and a few drops of poultry rx. Will repeat the dose of poultry rx tonight and rubbing some on top of her head and under her wings as well. What else can I do??