Please help my gasping hen

[Chickeeaholic]

Hello, I was met this morning to my Brahma hen gasping when I let the chickens out.

She sounds like she has fluid in her, especially her nasal passages. She stood up and coughed hard a few times. Is there anything I can do for her? I put vetrx on her beak and nostrils and brought her in the house. She did eat some scrambled egg. I am keeping things dark and quiet.

 

[coach723]

How does her crop feel? Empty, full, hard, soft and squishy? Also check it first thing in the morning, before she's had access to food or water, it should be empty then. Look inside her beak for any lesions or plaques. Are you seeing any discharge from nares, or beak, eyes, any bubbles in eyes? If you can get a video of the cough it might be helpful. You will need to post on another platform, like youtube and put the link here so we can see it.

 

[Chickeeaholic]

That was the video of her this morning. She is still the same. Her crop seems full a little on the firm side. and I don’t see anything in her mouth. No discharge.

A week ago I had to bring her inside for a few days because of this but it wasn’t near as bad. I thought she was better but this came on all of the sudden last night.

Thank you for your help.

 

[Chickeeaholic]

I noticed her vent is messy with white and runny stool. Her stools are water. Not sure if it’s related?

 

[coach723]

Have you ever wormed her? How old is she, do you know when she last laid?

 

[Eggcessive]

Have you added any new chickens or other birds to your flock lately? She sounds very gurgly either from mucus in her throat or crop contents coming back up. Had you handled her or her crop just before the video this am? If they have a crop that is not emptying, and it is accidentally squeezed, they can get some liquid into their airway. Look at her eyes for any bubbles or foam, any swelling of either eyelid or the face, or mucus from her nostrils. Some respiratory problems may be viral, where antibiotics don’t help. If she has a crop issue, antibiotics might not be a good idea, but if she has some of the symptoms above, she might have a respiratory disease such as MG (mycoplasma gallisepticum.) That can respond to Tylosin or Tiagard/Denagard. Smell her breath, since sour crop may have a bad odor and the crop may not empty overnight.