Please help!

[Oreoandhens]

Hello. I really need some help as I have a poorly chicken and can’t figure out what is wrong with her. She is an exchequer leghorn who hasn’t been feeling herself for around 3/4 weeks. First I thought it might be the temperate outside. We are in the UK and the weather has been really up and down and really chilly some days. However all the other hens seems so be fine. She did suffer from mild frostbite on her comb which is healed up now. Every day she is huddled up and not moving much at all but still eating and drinking and loves her treats. I have isolated her at home today as in the morning she wasn’t coming out and once I picked her up her beak was open and she was sneezing as well as breathing quite heavy. Now she is inside in a cage she seems to be digging about and seems fine when a minute ago she was very lethargic and almost falling asleep while stood up. She also threw up clear liquid at one point. Her comb and wattles are very small and she is pale around her eyes. I have treated the whole flock for worms and coccidiosis recently. I just have no idea what is up with her? Any help would be appreciated

 

[ChickenBoyAfrica]

Deep breathing and sneezing are both symptoms of infectious bronchitis or IB . It might be that .

 

[Oreoandhens]

She is also shaking her head a lot. Do I need antibiotics for this?

 

[hannah and the chickens]

If you can, take her to the vet! They’ll know better whether she needs antibiotics and what kind. IF it is infectious bronchitis, you should see similar symptoms in the other chickens, too, because the virus spreads pretty fast. Are there any other symptoms like diarrhea? Has she laid an egg recently?

For the flu-like symptoms you could offer her some diced up onions and ginger mixed with some of her favourite snacks or oats, the essential oils could help if she has a runny nose. When my chicken was sick in November, I also made her herbal tea (we had a pre-mixed blend of thyme and sage at home but there are lots of other herbs that are supposed to help against the flu).

 

[Aapomp831]

Chickens do not vomit, so liquid coming out of the mouth leads me to believe there is an impacted crop issue. That would also account for the heavy breathing - take away food and water for 12 hours and check the crop. It should be flat and empty.

 

[Oreoandhens]

If you can, take her to the vet! They’ll know better whether she needs antibiotics and what kind. IF it is infectious bronchitis, you should see similar symptoms in the other chickens, too, because the virus spreads pretty fast. Are there any other symptoms like diarrhea? Has she laid an egg recently?

For the flu-like symptoms you could offer her some diced up onions and ginger mixed with some of her favourite snacks or oats, the essential oils could help if she has a runny nose. When my chicken was sick in November, I also made her herbal tea (we had a pre-mixed blend of thyme and sage at home but there are lots of other herbs that are supposed to help against the flu).

The other chickens are completely fine and laying eggs perfectly this is why it’s so confusing. Did that mixture work for you?

 

[hannah and the chickens]

If the other chickens are fine, it shouldn’t be a serious virus infection. I took my ill chicken to the vet, they gave her Erythromycin and in addition to the home remedies she got better soon. She only had a nasty flu.

Maybe try to figure out where the clear liquid came from? It could be that she just sneezed or it could be a crop issue like Aapomp said. Try feeling the crop right now, if it feels really hard or somehow gooey there might be an issue with the crop. If you don’t want to take away her feed, check her crop again tomorrow morning before she has breakfast, the crop should feel empty then. Also check her nostrils for liquid.

Depending on her condition I‘d definitely make an appointment with the vet, puffed up feathers and unresponsiveness are the most important warning signs. If she’s showing normal behaviour right now, maybe the warmth inside the house is already helping.

 

[Oreoandhens]

Chickens do not vomit, so liquid coming out of the mouth leads me to believe there is an impacted crop issue. That would also account for the heavy breathing - take away food and water for 12 hours and check the crop. It should be flat and empty.

Her crop feels quite empty

 

[Oreoandhens]

If the other chickens are fine, it shouldn’t be a serious virus infection. I took my ill chicken to the vet, they gave her Erythromycin and in addition to the home remedies she got better soon. She only had a nasty flu.

Maybe try to figure out where the clear liquid came from? It could be that she just sneezed or it could be a crop issue like Aapomp said. Try feeling the crop right now, if it feels really hard or somehow gooey there might be an issue with the crop. If you don’t want to take away her feed, check her crop again tomorrow morning before she has breakfast, the crop should feel empty then. Also check her nostrils for liquid.

Depending on her condition I‘d definitely make an appointment with the vet, puffed up feathers and unresponsiveness are the most important warning signs. If she’s showing normal behaviour right now, maybe the warmth inside the house is already helping.

She has a little bit of wetness around her nose but nothing major. The liquid came out of her mouth as she shook her head. Her crop feels as normal so I’m really not sure

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Does she lay eggs?
Photos of her poop?

I would re-check that crop to see that it's empty in the morning before she eats/drinks. Look inside her beak for any lesions, white or yellow pasty material.