I have a barred rock hen of just over a year old. She used to be friendly, but she's turned really nasty recently, although I guess that's besides the point.
A few days ago I had picked her up and held her upside down between my knees as she had a mild case of bumble foot and I was checking on it. When I flipped her back over I noticed she had a rattling, watery breathing sound that I didn't notice before, and she sneezed a few times. I think her comb may have been darker too, but it might have been a trick of the light. I thought it might have just been because of stress, but I wasn't sure and brought her up to the deck in a rabbit cage.
The whole time she seemed to be doing fine from what I could tell, so I thought it was just the stress or something and brought her for a bath (she spilt her food and water a lot.) before letting her with the flock. I didn't end up letting her go because after her bath when I was checking her feet again she had the same really rattling and watery breath. Her comb seemed darker too and I noticed a bit of dried mucous around her nostrils. I brought her back to the deck.
Now when she is with the flock, she is by far the lowest on the pecking order barring the chicks, which I had half a mind to cage her for a while she seems to hate them so much. Anyways, she usually gets pecked the moment she goes by any of the other chickens except for one of the EEs and I've seen her be chased too and from the coop when there are chickens outside the door and in the nest. She stresses a lot, especially when things like that happen. I could see her breathing hard, as in her neck expanding from the air. Among the people, she hates is and attacks our hands if they go anywhere near her. She'll grip of to some part of us, raise her hackles and jump at us with her feet.
I'm not sure if any of that helped, but does anyone know what's wrong with her? If it just stress, or her being held upside down or something?
Thanks.
A few days ago I had picked her up and held her upside down between my knees as she had a mild case of bumble foot and I was checking on it. When I flipped her back over I noticed she had a rattling, watery breathing sound that I didn't notice before, and she sneezed a few times. I think her comb may have been darker too, but it might have been a trick of the light. I thought it might have just been because of stress, but I wasn't sure and brought her up to the deck in a rabbit cage.
The whole time she seemed to be doing fine from what I could tell, so I thought it was just the stress or something and brought her for a bath (she spilt her food and water a lot.) before letting her with the flock. I didn't end up letting her go because after her bath when I was checking her feet again she had the same really rattling and watery breath. Her comb seemed darker too and I noticed a bit of dried mucous around her nostrils. I brought her back to the deck.
Now when she is with the flock, she is by far the lowest on the pecking order barring the chicks, which I had half a mind to cage her for a while she seems to hate them so much. Anyways, she usually gets pecked the moment she goes by any of the other chickens except for one of the EEs and I've seen her be chased too and from the coop when there are chickens outside the door and in the nest. She stresses a lot, especially when things like that happen. I could see her breathing hard, as in her neck expanding from the air. Among the people, she hates is and attacks our hands if they go anywhere near her. She'll grip of to some part of us, raise her hackles and jump at us with her feet.
I'm not sure if any of that helped, but does anyone know what's wrong with her? If it just stress, or her being held upside down or something?
Thanks.
