struggling to breathe

[rockwoodchicken]

-5 month old plymoth rock hen
-since the beginning of the month she has been making a funny sound that i thought was sneezing. Other then her funny sound she has been fine until Monday she wasn`t walking around the coop just standing in one spot so I went to check on her and she was gasping for breath. I have tried to feel around for her crop but there is nothing there it seems,
I have given her olive oil and massaged her, tried turning her upside down.
i have her separated

-monday night we gave her water soluble antibiotics (so it has been 36 hrs approxc that she has been on them)
-her waddle was very pale on monday night but got some color back yesterday

she is drinking
poop is normal

i also picked up a dewormer that i mix with food.....not sure if i can do antibiotics and dewormer at the same time....

she is still struggling to breathe


I really don`t know what to do....any suggestions

thanks
lisa

 

[GoldenChicks16]

Any drainage from her nose? Could it be a respiratory infection? Check for mites or lice as well as these can be toxic to a chicken and can cause them to have trouble breathing that eventually leads to death. Its great that you started her on antibiotics in order to help (smart move

)

 

[rockwoodchicken]

No drainage from her nose and her eyes aren't swollen or anything. She is fine otherwise.....well other then hard to breathe.....last i checked on her she sounded wheezy as well.

I can feel a lump about 1.5 inches under her beak but i am not sure if that is where her crop is????

how long should she be on meds before i see a difference in her breathing??

tia
lisa

 

[GoldenChicks16]

What type of antibiotics did you use? I would keep her on them for 5 days to a week. You don't want to keep her on them longer than you need to and risk her getting to dependent on them and having a longer withdrawal period. I would add a little VetRX to what your giving her just because it eases the symptoms and she won't become dependent since it's not a medication. If she doesn't seem to be getting better by the five days I would up the dose of the antibiotics you're giving her and continue it for another 5 days or a week. Of course this will cause her to have a longer withdrawal period but if it helps her i think its worth it. She probably has a minor respitory infection but I wouldn't worry about it to much, I think she will be fine.

 

[rockwoodchicken]

i gave her neo-chlor (1 gram to 2.25 L of water).
Local vet said I should also treat her for Coccidia as well at the same time so i am going to pick that up tomorrow.

do you think it is safe to put her back with the others or keep her separate until she is breathing proper?

 

[GoldenChicks16]

Mi would keep her separate from the rest of the flock. I don't know much about the side effects of neo-Chlor in the eggs but some anti-biotics make the eggs unsafe for human consumption. I would keep her seperated also on the note that whatever it may be might be contagious.