Please help! Gurgling panting hen!

[deltachix]

For the last 48hrs I've noticed one if my reds is making a weird sound when she is breathing. It is not constant but has seemed to worsen. I wasn't sure if she was just experiencing heat exhaustion or if this was more like a respiratory illness. I gave her Gatorade and even syringe fed her cold ice water. She (as of last nite) is seperated from the flock. Don't know what else to do. Just trying to keep her cool. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!!

 

[Chickengal505]

For the last 48hrs I've noticed one if my reds is making a weird sound when she is breathing. It is not constant but has seemed to worsen. I wasn't sure if she was just experiencing heat exhaustion or if this was more like a respiratory illness. I gave her Gatorade and even syringe fed her cold ice water. She (as of last nite) is seperated from the flock. Don't know what else to do. Just trying to keep her cool. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!!

If I where you, I'd bring her into the house, and hose her off in the shower. Just try to keep her cool. Icy water isn't allowed, cool not cold is good. Is her crop squishy and watery? Does she have water avalible, for her to drink as she wishes? Any discharge from her nose and/or her mouth?

 

[deltachix]

I also have a video of her behavior and can email it but not sure how to attach it from iphone

 

[deltachix]

No discharge from nose. She has food and water available when ever she wants it. Thanks for ur suggestions

 

[LizaBlue]

I do not guarantee that it is not toxic, just that I have treated many of my chickens and some turkeys this way and it has helped: try putting a generous dollop of Vicks Vaporub under her wings where there is bare skin. I had some turkey poults so sick they were gaping and laying on their side - we had been treating them for days and were going to put them down - and out of desperation, I treated them with Vicks and went to bed. In the morning, they were running around like they had never been sick. Since then I have used it on many chickens and used the baby kind on chicks when they seem to be breathing funny, sneezing too much, or sound funny, and usually get results overnight. Good luck.

 

[deltachix]

So she's acting fine now! So weird. Her crop is a little pale - still need to check if it's squishy. The heat has broken by about 25 degrees so I'm wondering if that's it. Anyone else experience this before?

 

[speckledhen]

Yes, sometimes the heat itself, especially when there is high humidity, will cause respiratory distress (not contagious). Last summer, some old hens and one rooster developed fungal infections. Ever since then, my rooster will lose his breath and turn dark upon exertion at times, so his lungs are compromised. He cannot handle the high heat index.

In those cases, I do NOT recommend any aromatics like Vicks.

 

[deltachix]

Speckledhen- thanks! Glad that it might not be contagious and that someone else can relate a similar story! Best of luck to u. All others: thanks too and I appreciate all the support