Our old hen has a new problem. Sometimes coughing etc..

[morningglory37]

Last summer I posted about our elderly nearly 8 year old hen that just keeps going. After recovering fully from whatever she had last summer, a few days ago she came down with something and I just thought that I would throw this out there in case someone can give us some advice. we will cull her when neccessary, it just doesn't seem like the right time. OK- the symptoms are: A few days ago she looked like she possibly had a heart attack. She was running for the feed and then fell over and by the time my husband brought her inside, she seemed nearly dead. It looked like she had no body control, just limp. She was doing terrible gasps. We thought she had moments to live. I took my hair dryer and went over her with it and she came back to life! She drank water. She sat up, ate and began walking! Her poo is very stinky and like diahrrea, but today it's better. Her feathers are beautiful. healthy eyes, beak, feet. this is why we don't cull her!! She seems to have a cough. It happens when she drinks or moves around a lot and she will also pant if she walks very much too.

I think maybe it's her heart. We hate giving up on her because of what we went through last summer. It was so amazing to us that she lived through all that she did. I have a feeling the cold has done this to her because the last time she was ill, it was extremely hot.

So, here she stays in our extra bathroom in her pond liner like last summer. I really don't want a house chicken, even though we gave that a thought when it got really cold. I just hope that the germs don't affect us. I can't imagine it's something too terrible and bird flu has never made it to the U.S right? I'm keeping the area around her extremely clean. She just spends her time standing around in the bathroom and waits until I open the door!! weird right?

Thanks so much more any advice!! I feel sort of crazy typing all of this, but she's always meant a lot to the kids and us.

 

[chicmom]

Well, so sorry to hear your hen is ailing. She quite possibly could have had a heart attack and passed out. Sounds like she has a respiratory infection. I would put Tylan in her drinking water. It's a strong antibiotic powder, and it will nip that cold right in the bud. It's pricey though--I think a bottle of the powder is around $40 to $50 dollars. It's worth every penny in my opinion. Maybe she could stay in your bathroom until spring? You seem like a softy! Ahh, why not!

I have two silkies in the house (Snowy and Stormy). They were chicks when I got them and now I'm afraid putting them outside in this wicked Ohio weather will shock them. So they're inside in their own private brooder until spring. I use a big, 110 gallon water tank. It works great!

Well, good luck to you and your old hen! She sounds sweet!

Sharon

 

[morningglory37]

Thanks for replying! Today she's coughing more. i'm sure this can't be good. I was just wondering how long they usually live with a sickness. she's so old yet still seems so good in so many ways. I have been putting some liquid amoxil in her water. I really can't afford to get her, her own medicine, but I usually have some left over antibiotics for my dogs. I know this stuff doesn't hurt her because I used it on her last summer.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thats pretty old for a chicken, but they can live to be older too. Hope she makes a come back after all shes already been through.

 

[morningglory37]

That's the first time I've heard someone say they can live longer than that!! What I'm wondering is it it dangerous to have a coughing chicken in the house? i'm not sure if it's a cough or a sneeze. She seems to be doing it more now. And panting too. Other than that, she's her old self.

I'm keeping the area aound her constantly clean since I'm a stay-at-home mom. I've never gone through so much Pine Sol in my life! It creaps me out to have her in here, but she's in an area of our house that's isolated from the main living area. I keep her door closed and when I open it, she's always standing right there waiting for it to open again.

 

[tallyho]

Could it possibly not be sickness but instead congestive heart failure? I believe heart problems can manifest in coughing. I also have 2 8 year old hens. One is frisky and one is really showing her age.