sick chicken heavy breathing help

[mshappy]

Okay, I am back. I put out a pea size amnt of ivermectrin in a small cap, added some water, swirled it and gave it all to her in an eye dropper. she at first seemed to like it, swallowing between breaths. then a few times she shook her head and spit alo out.. maybe some down the wrong way?? she did sound a bit moist on breath in a few times after I did it. then it got quiet on breathing again. she did get more alert, then I gave her a bit more of the chick feed dissolved better in water. Maybe not more alert, just fighting to breath?

one post I read said that gape worms live in the lungs so you have to get it there not just in the throat.. then another post says chickens dont have typical lungs.. ??? so I will leave her alone for a while. the cure may kill her more than no treatment so being as I am not avian vet I will let well enough be for a few hours and check on her again.

so sad, our little hen "fluffy" always the mommy for all the big girl eggs. even takes in any babies we bring home. would hate to loose her. she is our best mama. if you find anything else let me know.

Its about an hour drive to the feed store. not sure if antibiotics would work. anybody know?

 

[mshappy]

okay.. update. 1 hour later and I go check fluffy.. she is for the first time in two days sitting with her head up NOT GASPING.. she is still immobile but her beak is shut, she is obviously breathing better. did I dislodge something? how fast do gapeworms move on? seems too good to be true. hmmm?? I have read alot about apple cider vinegar flush? does this help any.. hey after the medicine I put her through today I figured she would either die from treatment or from whatever ails her.

Just as a precaution and because i have nothing else I have dissolved some ivermectrin in the other chickens water, along with a bit of apple cider vinegar.. ?? but she is looking better and thatis all I can ask for right now.

 

[PunkinPeep]

Wow! So glad to hear she looks better!

 

[mshappy]

hmm. okay, went to check her a few hours later. she is back at the quiet gasping. I have read more now. I tipped her forward and started manipulating her right breast area. Fluid came out as if it is stuck at this area and upon manipulation it is coming back up her throat. I flushed her mouth/throat by placing a blunt syringe to the back of the throat and spraying water there. she does fine, but then when I manipulate that area again almost all the water comes out again. Is this the crop? and does this mean it is blocked, clogged somehow?

1-should I still try to get water down her to dislodge the area and manipulate it?

2. is there something other than water to do so?

 

[PunkinPeep]

I have read about flushing with apple cider vinegar, and separately with baking soda.

Before doing that, though, if i were you, i would feel around near the bottom and see if you can identify something hard blocking the pathway - and try to massage it out of the way.

 

[Beekissed]

The other day someone asked about when to cull in this section~especially knowing when to do so when you are a new chicken owner.

This is a time to cull. When a bird cannot breath well and is gasping for air, weak and unable to eat normally....for a couple of days? Time to help her out of her misery. It is the humane thing to do.

 

[mshappy]

Yes, I just flushed her with baking soda and water 3 times with a large syringe. massaged the area.. she threw up liquid only again. and she pooped on the towel I was holding her with. thats good, right?

here is my question. does the blockage clear right away? I think maybe not from everything I have read, they say to let them rest and sometimes we have to do it again.

I have to make a decision here. after the flushing she seemed so weak, done.. ya know?
I am with the writer who said it is time to cull. I was already thinking this.

please give me a time frame if a blockage always takes time to relieve itself or if it should be instant. all that came out was liquid again. no chunks, nothing. I also gave at the end somewater with oil. again everything I read says this may take a few days but I dont want her to stay like this longer than tomorrow morning..

any answer tonight would be appreciated.

 

[Beekissed]

Honey, just quickly kill her. You've done all you know to do and you've been calm and thorough, but its time now to be the ultimate friend...let her go and give her rest. Sometimes you just have to.

Its hard...its never easy.

 

[PunkinPeep]

You are the one who is there looking at her and dealing with her, and if you feel it that is is time for her to go, you're probably right. I don't like to let animals suffer unnecessarily.

I'm really sorry.

And in answer to your other question, i really don't know a time frame for the flushes, etc. to work to clear a blockage; i'm afraid it might be longer than she has.

 

[Jose253]

Hello I have a little bantam hen who loves to sit on the back of my chair and watch me play games or watch TV with me and I just wanted to a problem where I went to the bathroom and I came back and she went from the top of my chair to the seat of my chair and she flew back up to the top not a problem so everything was normal and then about 5 minutes after she was up there she started making a strange cluck cluck cluck sound I looked up at her eyes are wide she thinking rapidly breathing in short breaths has her beak slightly open and she's crouched down near the ground real low with her wings kind of spread outwards a little bit and almost like using them to hold her balance or something and her tail fanned out and it just started happening right now out of nowhere for no reason she doesn't want water anything I just got done giving her some water and she's been like this now as I write this for about 30 minutes or so when I go to pet her she kind of flinches like she didn't see me coming but she doesn't move away or nothing I turn the fan on and put it towards her and she turned towards the fan and just sits there facing towards the fan