Poorly chook I think

[Tayjayuk]

Can anyone shed some light on my poorly hen. Brand new to all this as I've had my 4 Orpington girls for only 4 days. They are about 21 weeks old and haven't started laying yet.

Today I've noticed one has a runny nose, a few bubbles coming from her beak and her eyes sometimes close. She's breathing through her beak often too.

It's extremely hot here at the moment (heat wave that we haven't had in England for more than 7 years!) so I'm not sure if that's the reason (but the others seem fine!). They eat layers pellets and mixed corn occasionally.

Just not sure what to do as I'm feeling a little helpless right now :-( xx

 

[ChickensAreSweet]

Could be a chronic respiratory disease like mycoplasma. Some people cull for respiratory illness and others treat, but the chicken may be an asymptomatic carrier and infect other chickens (and through the egg to the chicks) even after treatment.

If you would like a definitive diagnosis, submitting the hen for a necropsy would be the answer. If she is a pet and you aren't considering putting her down, then you may want to look at this:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044
Mycoplasma gallisepticum is one possibility, although I don't know what is wrong for sure and it could be something else.


http://msucares.com/poultry/diseases/dissymp.htm
Here is another link!

I hope she gets better soon!