Sick Hen

[JCfans]

We have a 7 month old Production Red hen that about 3 days ago started just standing in one place in the coup. She looks healthy and we have seen her drinking water but today she started breathing heavy and she feels a warmer and slightly bigger than the other girls in the belly. She also has dark runny droppings but no blood in it. . We brought her inside to a nice warm quiet area and started giving her tetracycline hydrochloride and some electrolytes in her water while feeding her mealies, bread and green beans to make sure she eats. In the coup she eats layer food with 16% protein and 4.5% calcium and has access to oyster shell. I have read other posts that sometimes heavy breathing and a tail that raises and lowers could be egg bound. I have felt her belly and it is a warm and a little swollen but I can't feel an egg. It does upset her though so she must be sore otherwise she usually doesn't mind. The heavy breathing has us worried about a respiratory infection and I don't know if soaking her in warm water (assuming she's egg bound) would be bad for her if it turns out to be a respiratory infection. Sorry the post is so long I am just so worried about her and would appreciate any input.

 

[lalaland]

soaking her in warm water won't hurt the respiratory stuff as long as you make sure she is warm and dry afterwards (haiar dryer). She might get stressed from the handling, which might make her breathing harder til she calms down.

I'm also dealing with a hen with respiratory distress - doesn't seem as if there is much to do when it isn't accompanied by nasal discharge, etc.

good luck!

 

[JCfans]

Thanks for the reply. We gave her a warm bath and she really started flexing her vent. I massaged her abdomen and rubbed KY around the vent but nothing happened so we put her to bed for the night. I couldn't feel an egg but her abdomen feels swollen. We will try the bath again in the morning if there isn't an egg yet. thanks again.

Chad and April

 

[JCfans]

P.S. good luck with your chicken.

 

[JCfans]

We have come to the conclusion after consulting with a local that has been raising chickens for a long time that she is not egg bound. We now believe that it is a respiratory infection and are treating with antibiotics. She is still breathing pretty heavy and is still lethargic but has seemed to pickup a better appetite.

 

[sammi]

always check the crop and make sure it is emptying properly..

 

[B. Saffles Farms]

If it is a respiratory disease, Tylan Soluble Powder will usually cure them.

 

[JCfans]

Thanks for the replies. The crop seems to be emptying well but I will keep an eye on it. They didn't have Tylan at our local farm store so we are giving them Tetracycline Hydrochloride soluble powder. Do you think that will do the same job? Thanks again for all the help.