Open mouth breathing for 5 days then died

[KerriWilson]

My chicken was open mouth breathing, see the video, then was falling over. I went to pick her up and bring her inside and she died in my arms. I now have a second chicken doing this for 2 days. I brought her to a vet that doesn't know her head from her *ss but she did a stool sample. There is no coccidoisis or worms in the sample. They gave her a shot of antibiotics and I am also giving her antibiotics, corid, and now a dewormer to cover all bases. She is still doing it and a few hours ago I notived the other 2 adult hens I have, have also started this open mouth breathing. Please help if you can me and my kids are devasted that we might loose all our hens. I also have three chicks that we love and adore just like adults.

 

[azygous]

What is your location? How old are these hens as well as the one that died?

Have you had extremely hot weather? What do you feed the flock, including treats? Do they have access to grit?

What does the poop generally look like? Photos would be helpful.

This could be anything fro heat stroke to toxic poisoning to a contagious respiratory illness.

What antibiotic are you giving, and are you giving it to all of the hens?

 

[Ourminizoo2021]

Im so sorry for your lost. Thats awful. Im not an expert whatsoever but is it possible they ate something they shouldnt of? Are they all showing the same symptoms? If not I would personally seperate the ones that are not just incase

 

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

What is the temp where you are? Do they have a constant supply of clean, fresh water?

 

[KerriWilson]

What is your location? How old are these hens as well as the one that died?

Have you had extremely hot weather? What do you feed the flock, including treats? Do they have access to grit?

What does the poop generally look like? Photos would be helpful.

This could be anything fro heat stroke to toxic poisoning to a contagious respiratory illness.

What antibiotic are you giving, and are you giving it to all of the hens?

I am in Vero Beach Florida. Yes it is hot but they are shaded all day and get ice water twice a day. It is not the heat because even though we have three of the inside now they are stgill doing this. I give them egg layer feed from tractor supply and meal works and then some frozen berries from time to time. The ones that are sick I got from a friend and they are between 1-2 years old. The poop is looking normal for all o them nothing out of the usual. I just started them all on amoxicillian

 

[KerriWilson]

Im so sorry for your lost. Thats awful. Im not an expert whatsoever but is it possible they ate something they shouldnt of? Are they all showing the same symptoms? If not I would personally seperate the ones that are not just incase

They are all seperate in crates in the house now

 

[KerriWilson]

What is the temp where you are? Do they have a constant supply of clean, fresh water?

It is in the 90's. There water is changed twice a day to add ice to it so they don't over heat. I wet them down with a hose also if I feel like they are getting to hot. We had a tropical storm here last week and I feel like they stayed wet for 2 days and makes me wonder if they got sick form being wet and cold. I don't know. I am treating them for everything worms, bacterial, and coccidosis just incase. Just trying to keep any more from dying. The ones sick now are all eating and laying eggs still but I don't wan them to die like the last one.

 

[KerriWilson]

What is your location? How old are these hens as well as the one that died?

Have you had extremely hot weather? What do you feed the flock, including treats? Do they have access to grit?

What does the poop generally look like? Photos would be helpful.

This could be anything fro heat stroke to toxic poisoning to a contagious respiratory illness.

What antibiotic are you giving, and are you giving it to all of the hens?

What is grit? They free range and are all over my yard. I don't spray my yard with anything.

 

[T-R-O-U-B-L-E]

It is in the 90's. There water is changed twice a day to add ice to it so they don't over heat. I wet them down with a hose also if I feel like they are getting to hot. We had a tropical storm here last week and I feel like they stayed wet for 2 days and makes me wonder if they got sick form being wet and cold. I don't know. I am treating them for everything worms, bacterial, and coccidosis just incase. Just trying to keep any more from dying. The ones sick now are all eating and laying eggs still but I don't wan them to die like the last one.

Maybe pneumonia.

 

[azygous]

Grit is gravel that chickens swallow so their gozzards can grind up and digest the food they eat. Chances are they pick up what they need while scratching around. It wouldn't hurt to dig up some soil and see if there is any gravel in it and it the gravel is angular instead of rounded. Use a magnifying lens. Chickens can get into trouble when they don't consume proper grit. It causes crop issues and constipation.