Sick hen

[PapaChicken]

Legs, 22 month old Rhode Island Red, will probably not be with us tomorrow. We sure hate to loose her. She has displayed respiratory problems for 5 to 6 weeks. About three weeks ago I started her on Tetracycline HCl. First for 1 week, then she seemed to respond very well, to I stopped it. Then problems showed again, so I started it again. Today was day 9. She seemed to be doing well today, but tonight when I was holding her she had some kind of "event" wherein she displayed respiratory distress. Over the next 20 minutes or so she did not get better, but worse. She started dripping a yellow-ish liquid from her mouth. This was same color as T-HCl, so I wondered if it came from her stomach. I've isolated her tonight, but don't expect her to be with us tomorrow AM. Right now I'm concerned about our others (3 roosters and 13 hens). They have not displayed any symptoms. I have been unable to find a vet in our area that will treat a hen. Suggestions?

 

[fried green eggs]

I did a quick search for you under "respiratory problems" and found this post and thought it might give you something https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/238136/testing-for-cause-of-respiratory-problem
You can type in questions or key words in the advanced search line and you will find previous forum threads and post from other members. Good Luck I hope she pulls through

 

[bairo]

At this point I would fog the coop (with the birds in there) with Oxine run through a fogger or humidifier. Have the tet. ready to administer though at the first signs of infection in your others. Worst case scenario is fowl cholera. you can find some info on oxine on my coop page

 

[fried green eggs]

http://www.amerpoultryassn.com/respiratory_disease.htm more info

 

[PapaChicken]

Thanks all. I will follow up on suggestions.
Went out this AM to disect her to see what I could learn. To my utter shock she was pacing in her isolation cage and chirping, "Where's my breakfast?" Legs seems healthy this AM, although some small indication of short of air.