Very ill chicken

[AileenArd]

We have had our self blue Duccles for about a year. Last month we noticed one that was behaving abnormally. She tucked her head low between her shoulders, didn't eat as much as normal. Within a day or so she would stretch out her neck and open her mouth to gasp for air. We brought her in the house and kept her warm and researched to find the issue and resolution. We didn't find anything certain. She died the next day. Now we have another one that is displaying the same symptoms. It sounds like a respiratory issue to me, I think it is pneumonia, but I am not a vet. The vets in this area do not treat chickens, only large farm animals. No new chickens have been introduced. Will anti-biotiotics help? How much do I give her? How long before we notice a difference. I have penicillin. I don't think that we have much time.

I can tell she is thirsty, but it seems to choke her when she drinks water. Again the straining of the neck and gasps for air.

 

[Eggcessive]

Have you checked her crop to see if it is empty, full, hard or puffy? Neck stretching and gasping can sometimes be from an impacted or sour crop, but also could be a respiratory issue or infection. Do you see any sneeze or cough, wheeze or rattles when breathing, gasping, nasal drainage or watery eyes? Is she eating or drinking? Any diarrhea or abnormal droppings? Has she been laying eggs recently? Does she have any weight loss when you pick her up and feel of her? Can you look her over for lice or mites on her skin under her vent and elsewhere?

 

[AileenArd]

Have you checked her crop to see if it is empty, full, hard or puffy? Neck stretching and gasping can sometimes be from an impacted or sour crop, but also could be a respiratory issue or infection. Do you see any sneeze or cough, wheeze or rattles when breathing, gasping, nasal drainage or watery eyes? Is she eating or drinking? Any diarrhea or abnormal droppings? Has she been laying eggs recently? Does she have any weight loss when you pick her up and feel of her? Can you look her over for lice or mites on her skin under her vent and elsewhere?

Her crop does not seem swollen hard or puffy. Yes she is constantly wheezing, gurgling and breath rattles, no eggs, but production slows in the winter. Yes, she has lost weight so this tells me she was ill before we noticed, have not noticed nasal drainage and watery eyes. Will check for mites and lice, but will these cause respiratory issues?

Thanks for replying so quickly.

Would sour crop cause her to wheeze? How can we treat respiratory infection? This is the second hen in a month to display these symptoms and the last one died within a couple of days.

 

[Eggcessive]

It does sound like a respiratory infection, since the crop feels okay. Crop problems can sound rattly, so that is why I asked about the crop. Infectious bronchitis, mycoplasma (MG,) Coryza, aspergillosis, and ILT are some of the common respiratory diseases that you can read about if you Google “common poultry diseases,” and look for the University of Florida link (it is the first or second link listed.)

Wheezing can also be a sign of ascites or fluid in the belly, but may be from respiratory infection. Ascites can result for heart or liver failure, and can be related to reproductive problems such as internal laying and egg yolk peritonitis. Mold or wet conditions can be a cause of aspergillosis.

You could try some antibiotics to see if the symptoms improve. Tylan 50 injectable is available in feed stores (look in the cattle medicines and get syringes with needles.) I would remove the needle and give it orally to a chicken at a dose of 0.2 ml per pound 2-3 times daily for 5 days. If you feed does not have probiotics, then give a tsp of plain yogurt in her food daily during and after antibiotics.

 

[AileenArd]

It does sound like a respiratory infection, since the crop feels okay. Crop problems can sound rattly, so that is why I asked about the crop. Infectious bronchitis, mycoplasma (MG,) Coryza, aspergillosis, and ILT are some of the common respiratory diseases that you can read about if you Google “common poultry diseases,” and look for the University of Florida link (it is the first or second link listed.)

Wheezing can also be a sign of ascites or fluid in the belly, but may be from respiratory infection. Ascites can result for heart or liver failure, and can be related to reproductive problems such as internal laying and egg yolk peritonitis. Mold or wet conditions can be a cause of aspergillosis.

You could try some antibiotics to see if the symptoms improve. Tylan 50 injectable is available in feed stores (look in the cattle medicines and get syringes with needles.) I would remove the needle and give it orally to a chicken at a dose of 0.2 ml per pound 2-3 times daily for 5 days. If you feed does not have probiotics, then give a tsp of plain yogurt in her food daily during and after antibiotics.

Thanks for the quick reply, you may have save her life. We gave her antibiotics and the improvement is remarkable. Not out of the woods yet, but hoping she continues to improve. Thank You again You are the MASTER OF Amazing advice.