Rattling breathing in brooding hen

[cmelend]

I could really use some expert advice! I've only had this hen for three days and she is hatching eggs, so I'm not taking her anywhere..but she rattles horribly while mouth breathing. There is no discharge or wateryeyes, so I'mwondering if it's gapeworm? I'm in NW Oregon..is that common here? She is an Appenzeller, as are the other two that came with her, but she is the only one who sounds this way. The woman whom I purchased her from said she had another broody hen that did this, then was fine when she started walking around. I've only had two hens sit eggs and have never had a bird sound like this so I'm at a loss..I'll or gapeworm?..

 

[DobieLover]

I could really use some expert advice! I've only had this hen for three days and she is hatching eggs, so I'm not taking her anywhere..but she rattles horribly while mouth breathing. There is no discharge or wateryeyes, so I'mwondering if it's gapeworm? I'm in NW Oregon..is that common here? She is an Appenzeller, as are the other two that came with her, but she is the only one who sounds this way. The woman whom I purchased her from said she had another broody hen that did this, then was fine when she started walking around. I've only had two hens sit eggs and have never had a bird sound like this so I'm at a loss..I'll or gapeworm?..

It sounds more like a respiratory illness to me.
I would try dosing her with tylosin tartrate. I would set up a "baby bottle" waterer for her, like this:

That way she will drink the solution while on her nest and have it available for the 1-2 weeks she should have it.
I would mix 1 quart of water into 1/4 tsp of the tylosin and mix well. The instructions tell you to mix the water into the tylosin not the tylosin into the water.
Put about 2 cups of the solution into the drinker bottle and the rest in the refrigerator.
Give her fresh solution every 2-3 days for the duration of the treatment. So one quart would last about 4-6 days. You'd then make up a second quart and continue dosing.