Trouble breathing

[sebsmom]

My little pullet has a stuffy runny nose! I’m using Vet rx but she’s having trouble breathing! I’m so worried about her!
Any advice?

 

[HenniesInMyHeart]

Take her into the bathroom and blast hot water from the shower so the room steams up. This should help her mobilize any mucus and hopefully cough/sneeze it out. It will also soothe her airway. Just sit in the room with her, or put her in a box in there if you need to...not in the shower, just in the room, to inhale the steam. If you leave her in there, put her up high, like on top of a counter or toilet, so she's where the hot vapor will be. I hope this will help her!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Can you post some photos of her?
How old is she?
Does she have any other symptoms like facial swelling or watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, wheezing, etc.?

 

[sebsmom]

Take her into the bathroom and blast hot water from the shower so the room steams up. This should help her mobilize any mucus and hopefully cough/sneeze it out. It will also soothe her airway. Just sit in the room with her, or put her in a box in there if you need to...not in the shower, just in the room, to inhale the steam. If you leave her in there, put her up high, like on top of a counter or toilet, so she's where the hot vapor will be. I hope this will help her!

 

[sebsmom]

Thank you! I used a humidifier with vet rx and that helped! Her nostrils smell though!!!

 

[sebsmom]

Can you post some photos of her?
How old is she?
Does she have any other symptoms like facial swelling or watery eyes, sneezing, coughing, wheezing, etc.?

She sneezes every once in a while. No wheezing... it honestly sounds like a child with a stuffed nose. She’s eating and drinking and perky. But she is stressed being the new addition to our hens. But her nostrils smell!!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

She sneezes every once in a while. No wheezing... it honestly sounds like a child with a stuffed nose. She’s eating and drinking and perky. But she is stressed being the new addition to our hens. But her nostrils smell!!

Look inside her beak, does she have any plaques or lesions inside?

If the discharge from the nostrils smell, she likely has a respiratory infection. There are many causes, but respiratory disease is the most common.

Is she the only new chicken you have?

 

[Farmgirl1878]

What do they smell like? In people, there’s a particular odor when the person has a bacterial sinus infection. Maybe the same with chicks? What kind of bedding do you use? Could it be moldy?

 

[sebsmom]

Look inside her beak, does she have any plaques or lesions inside?

If the discharge from the nostrils smell, she likely has a respiratory infection. There are many causes, but respiratory disease is the most common.

Is she the only new chicken you have?

Yes she is the only new chicken. She was hiding up in the top of coop and I found rat feces. Should I just give her antibiotics?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes she is the only new chicken. She was hiding up in the top of coop and I found rat feces. Should I just give her antibiotics?

You will want to clean up the rat feces.
Stress can make symptoms worse. Have you tried introducing her more slowly or provided her a "safe space" where she can relax a little bit?
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/introducing-a-single-hen-to-an-existing-flock

You mention that she eats/drinks and is perky. The smell is concerning, have you cleaned her nostrils and looked inside her beak?

Antibotics can help with secondary infections, but if she does have a respiratory disease, they will not provide a cure. Depending on what she has, she and your flock are considered carriers (they have been exposed). Consulting your state lab as to whether they will accept some mucous swaps for testing is a very good idea. You can look up your lab HERE You may also want to look into respiratory illnesses and how they can impact your flock.