Pullet gasping/wheezing- HELP

[coach723]

In addition to checking the crop (and feel around carefully to see if you feel anything that might be a foreign object), I would also, if you didn't do it before, have someone help hold her and use a flashlight and get a really good look in her throat, just to be safe. The wheezing and crackling could be something stuck, aspirated, or a respiratory disease that is causing a partial obstruction, maybe from swelling. If something is stuck, then often they can dislodge it with a bit of time. Other than that, if it persists with no other symptoms then vet care would probably be best, if that's an option.

 

[murphynhazel12]

In addition to checking the crop (and feel around carefully to see if you feel anything that might be a foreign object), I would also, if you didn't do it before, have someone help hold her and use a flashlight and get a really good look in her throat, just to be safe. The wheezing and crackling could be something stuck, aspirated, or a respiratory disease that is causing a partial obstruction, maybe from swelling. If something is stuck, then often they can dislodge it with a bit of time. Other than that, if it persists with no other symptoms then vet care would probably be best, if that's an option.

I'll try that later today, thank you. I don't think going to the vet is an option, we have no avian vets in the area... I'm hoping it's either something that will resolve itself or that we can treat at home. Another weird symptom she has is that she's walking funny. She seems reluctant to use her legs and will just lay there with her feet slightly splayed out. When she does get up and walk, she'll occasionally lose her balance and fall over.

 

[coach723]

It's hard to say without having a reasonably good idea of what is actually going on. There could be viral reasons, or if she's got something stuck that is preventing normal eating, then it could be vitamin deficiency. I would normally recommend giving a b complex tablet or capsule once a day, but with questionable throat issues, not sure you would be able to get her to swallow it. You could try and see what happens, up to you.

 

[murphynhazel12]

Update: she's about the same. Still alive, moving (with a lot of stumbling and falling), and eating/drinking. Felt her crop again this morning when it was mostly empty and there was no obstruction I could feel. I looked down her throat with a flashlight and I couldn't see anything in there that might be blocking it. This is a very bizarre issue to me, I've had sick chickens before, but never like this.

 

[coach723]

With nothing else to go on, if she were mine, I would treat her for gapeworm, see if that may be the culprit. If you've got Safeguard, liquid goat wormer or horse paste, dose is .23ml per pound of body weight 5 days in a row, orally.

 

[murphynhazel12]

Probably a good idea, I don't have safeguard but I'll see if I can pick some up at the tractor supply.

 

[murphynhazel12]

With nothing else to go on, if she were mine, I would treat her for gapeworm, see if that may be the culprit. If you've got Safeguard, liquid goat wormer or horse paste, dose is .23ml per pound of body weight 5 days in a row, orally.

I got the Safeguard oral suspension for chickens... do you know the dosing for that? It seems like it gives dosing based on flock weight but my flock is pretty small (10 bantams) so unsure what dosage I should do.

 

[coach723]

Do you have a picture of the product and it's label?

 

[murphynhazel12]

Do you have a picture of the product and it's label?

This is it, I also got VetRx to give her. Hopefully something will help..

 

[murphynhazel12]

Also, can you give the dewormer via oral syringe directly or does it have to be dissolved in their drinking water? I'm just worried she won't get enough of the dewormer and my other chicks will get too much.