PLEASE HELP MY CHICKEN! She is panting

[Niwatori hen]

Maybe this can help.....

Thank you for the info She is not making the strange sound last two days and started to peck food herself. Hope we're going to the right direction!

 

[Niwatori hen]

Maigo's update:

She's stopped making rasping sound and her breathing is better now. Yesterday, she went out to the terrace herself and taking the sun. She also tried to find food, pecking the ground and found a worm and ate it! She was outside for about two hours and the sun was going down so I took her inside again. I'm continuing antibiotic twice a day and this afternoon she got milk thistle and dandelion powder too. She is still just standing and doesn't walk most of the time and not eating enough so I'll keep continue the medicine and the herbs.

Still don't know exactly what problem she has, but she's been having diarrhoea so maybe it related to her problem.

I took a picture of her bottom. The skin is a bit red. Is it bloated?

@Hen Pen Jem
@micstrachan

 

[Niwatori hen]

Yes, good news about the crop! Keep monitoring her crop to see if it empties after eating her bits of food. She isn't feeling good, so she needs the rest. You will know what to do and when. Trust your judgement and do your best. You are not a vet, but she is lucky to have you helping her.

These are the questions that worry keepers. To force feed, or not? I would first try to entice the chicken to eat. Serve up something tasty and moist. Don't over do it, serve small amounts at a time, in a little dish, like a cat dish. Serve about 3 different things for the chicken to eat. You have to keep putting the food in front of her.

The bread ball has a bit of nutrition and calories, and if she is eating watermelon that is good. Let her rest for now. I like to offer cooked mini-meals. Balanced meals of Carbohydrates: cooked grains (Brown rice, barley, oat groats, etc.), cooked pasta, cooked potato grated, minced or mashed, cooked corn minced, fresh vegetables: diced up small (greens, cucumber, tomato, etc.), Cooked vegetables diced small or mashed, Fruit: juicy fresh fruit diced small, applesauce, Soft easy to digest Protein: cooked egg or tofu, baby food beef.

Cooked foods are easily digested for the sick chicken, and dicing or mincing the foods allows the sick chicken to eat smaller portions. Sometimes, keepers give large pieces of food, but the chicken knows it can only swallow tiny amounts at a time. So even though it may be hungry, it will not pick up large pieces of food. Plus, larger pieces of food require a lot of effort to break apart.
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You can also prepare a mushy meal to see if she will eat that. Some chickens will eat chicken mash with some warm water. They will even get excited if you dribble a little water onto the mash.

Feel your hen's keel bone (the bone on the chest). If it feels like a blade, she is losing muscle, and is probably losing weight. If you can't tell whether she hast lost weight, it's good to weigh the chicken. And check the average standard weight for her breed.

If she refuses all efforts to get her to eat on her own, you may have to force feed her with an oral syringe. You can purchase baby bird formula at a pet store, and feed her with that. It's formulated to be used with an oral syringe. And is basically pulverized grains, protein, and some seed, vitamins and minerals, and probiotics.

I hope this information has been helpful.

God Bless

More update about Maigo in Denmark.

She still doesn't have much energy to walk around but gasping sound has stopped, and has appetite and interested in food. She went outside herself last 3 days and wanted walk a bit and came back to rest inside. Today she's eating but laying down almost all day. She walks a few steps and lays down, and repeats it again. I don't know where she has pain or if she got virus or something.

She's eating better than last week, but has been having diarrhoea quite long time so I don't know how I can help her. I'm still giving her antibiotic, todays is day 7 so going to continue three more days then will see. She's getting dandelion, milk thistle and echinacea powder as well. How can I care for her when she has bad diarrhoea like this?

 

[aart]

How can I care for her when she has bad diarrhoea like this?

Not sure, but I'd cut out the herby stuff to see if it improves.
Antibiotics might be causing it too.

 

[Niwatori hen]

Not sure, but I'd cut out the herby stuff to see if it improves.
Antibiotics might be causing it too.

Ok, I'll not give her the herbs tomorrow and see. Thanks.

 

[DYEJOB]

Thank you very much for the link.
I've never lived together with chickens before and have almost no knowlege. It was very difficult to open her beak and I rushed to do it which I shouldn't. I feel extremely sorry for her.

I hope she recovers well. We all make mistakes, please don't beat yourself up over it. Just to encourage her to cough and clear the liquid. I'm not sure how to do that. But you've reached out to some very knowledgeable people on this site. Prays for her recovery ❤

 

[Niwatori hen]

I hope she recovers well. We all make mistakes, please don't beat yourself up over it. Just to encourage her to cough and clear the liquid. I'm not sure how to do that. But you've reached out to some very knowledgeable people on this site. Prays for her recovery ❤

Thanks you for your message I'm very new to chicken world and learning a lot from my little Maigo and the knowledgeable and helpful people here. When Maigo came to our garden, I wasn't sure it's a right decision to keep her here, as we have rescue cats and I didn't know if I can take responsibly for her life too, but now I'm glad that Maigo is here and teaches me many things how clever and intelligent she is etc. She gave me this chance. I actually scared of chickens before and couldn't touch them but now I can because of her! I'll do my best for her and give her a good time as much as I can.

 

[aart]

Ok, I'll not give her the herbs tomorrow and see. Thanks.

Leave them out until a week after the AB's are done.

 

[Niwatori hen]

Leave them out until a week after the AB's are done.

Sure. Thanks!

 

[William Mellor15]

I would say maybe try adding some ACV to her water