Pullet-open mouth breathing

[Auntiejessi3]

My 6 month old chocolate English orp has been open mouth breathing for the last two days. It is constant, even when roosting at night (I thought I recorded a video last night from the coop cam but it didn't save) A little background... she started laying about a month ago, this last week she has been laying a soft shell off the roost then a regular pullet sized egg later in the day (I started her on calcium citrate yesterday), treats are few and far between, they eat kalmbach 20% flock maker with oyster/egg shell on the side, her vent looks normal, she eats, drinks and poops fine, everyone was wormed in January. No one else is doing this. She is the sweetest thing! Any help is greatly appreciated

 

[Auntiejessi3]

I forgot to mention it has only been in the 60's during the day this week

 

[LaFleche]

Laying soft shelled eggs is hard work for hens and they often show heavy breathing and other symptoms of distress.

You can help her to form good eggshells by administering at least 500-600 calcium citrate + Vitamin D3 tablets every evening for 7-10 days. The ones for humans are good to use.
Sometimes the shell forming gland of young pullets needs a little help.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Laying soft shelled eggs is hard work for hens and they often show heavy breathing and other symptoms of distress.

You can help her to form good eggshells by administering at least 500-600 calcium citrate + Vitamin D3 tablets every evening for 7-10 days. The ones for humans are good to use.
Sometimes the shell forming gland of young pullets needs a little help.

Thank you! I just started her on Calcium Citrate +D yesterday evening.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Update- she has been on 500mg of calcium citrate for 3 days, no improvement. She has projectile diarrhea and almost no appetite. I fed her some raw egg which she ate like she was starving. I'm at a loss.

 

[LaFleche]

You could treat her for coccidiosis as sometimes with the rising of hormones and starting to lay their immune system weakens for a bit and coccidia can overtake.

In any case some days of Corid/Amprolium won't harm her.

Is her crop emptying over night? How does she smell when you take a whiff near her beak/head? Suffering from impacted/sour crop can also be the cause of diarrhea and open mouth breathing.

 

[Auntiejessi3]

You could treat her for coccidiosis as sometimes with the rising of hormones and starting to lay their immune system weakens for a bit and coccidia can overtake.

In any case some days of Corid/Amprolium won't harm her.

Is her crop emptying over night? How does she smell when you take a whiff near her beak/head? Suffering from impacted/sour crop can also be the cause of diarrhea and open mouth breathing.

Her crop is emptying. I just did a 7 day treatment of acidied copper sulfate for sour crop in another hen. There is no smell. I'll get some corid going today

 

[LaFleche]

Did she maybe suffer from a respiratory infection as a chick or youngster?

Infectious Bronchitis can compromise the kidneys and reprocuctive tract of female chickens

https://www.msdvetmanual.com/poultry/infectious-bronchitis/infectious-bronchitis-in-poultry

 

[Auntiejessi3]

Did she maybe suffer from a respiratory infection as a chick or youngster?

Infectious Bronchitis can compromise the kidneys and reprocuctive tract of female chickens

https://www.msdvetmanual.com/poultry/infectious-bronchitis/infectious-bronchitis-in-poultry

Not that I ever noticed, I hatched her and raised her, she's always been active and friendly, no breathing problems.

 

[SourRoses]

So sorry to hear you are going through this. She's a beautiful hen!

If it was me (not an expert whatsoever), I would start her on antibiotics asap because laying issues so often lead to severe reproductive tract infections.