Wheezing 2 year old hen

[tralfaz]

One of my hens were wheezing this morning, she’s a two year old hybrid RI red. It’s been old lately in NJ at about 0F at night. Is there a medication I should use for the respiratory illness and consider separating her from the rest of the flock? Also her comb is looking dried and shriveled. I’ll snap a pick tomorrow morning when I let them out.

 

[Eggcessive]

Dried shriveled combs can be normal in winter with decreased daylight hours and not laying. Can you post a short video of the wheezing to YouTube or Vimeo with a link posted here? There is a sound called stridor that is temporary and made sometimes when something, such as a piece of feed, gets stuck in the airway. But if she is really wheezing and not having stridor, that could be due to a respiratory issue or disease. Have you seen any watery or bubbly eyes, drainage from a nostril, sneezing, or other symptoms?

 

[tralfaz]

After sending my first post, the hen started getting better and didn’t notice any wheezing. But in the last week she’s not looking great and hasn’t been going into the coop at dark. She hides underneath the coop but comes out in the mornings for fresh water. Also her comb is getting very dry and seems to keep her neck retracted. Does she need meds are any sort of treatment?

 

[Eggcessive]

Is there swelling around her left eye or ear? Can you bring her in and give her a good exam. Look her over for any lice or mites crawling on her skin, or the debris they leave behind. Feel of her crop to see if it is full, hard, puffy, or empty. Consider worming her, and give her 2 ml of Poultry Nutridrench for a couple of days. Offer some moistened chicken feed, and a little cooked egg. Look her over for any bubbles in one eye, nasal drainage, gasping, or crackles when breathing. And tell us or take a picture of her droppings.

 

[tralfaz]

Is there swelling around her left eye or ear? Can you bring her in and give her a good exam. Look her over for any lice or mites crawling on her skin, or the debris they leave behind. Feel of her crop to see if it is full, hard, puffy, or empty. Consider worming her, and give her 2 ml of Poultry Nutridrench for a couple of days. Offer some moistened chicken feed, and a little cooked egg. Look her over for any bubbles in one eye, nasal drainage, gasping, or crackles when breathing. And tell us or take a picture of her droppings.

Her eyes are usually closed and neck tucked in and doesn’t move much, no discharge. I finally was able to get a photo this morning, a closeup and her droppings which is a little loose but no sign of mites. She can straighten and open her eyes but prefers to be like this.

 

[tralfaz]

been using Poultry Cell instead of NutriDrench, are they similar? Could it be worms? I’m planning to get some dewormer tomorrow incase it maybe and infect the rest of the flock

 

[tralfaz]

Doesn’t seem like the hen will make it through the night and we have a forecast of a snowstorm here in the NE. She’s now no longer able stand/walk and weighs half of her normal weight. Is there a humane way to do this or should I just let her pass on her own? Going to try to dig a hole while it’s not too cold…

 

[Eggcessive]

Very sorry that she has continued to go down hill. She could have a number of illnesses. Cancer or Mareks disease come to mind. I would try to have your state vet do a necropsy on her body if she dies, to look for what was wrong. The body needs to be refrigerated or in a cooler. I am not seeing NJ on the list, but you could contact NY or PA state vet on this list:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html

 

[tralfaz]

Thanks, I was able to find some LevaMed and administered some by syringe but feel it may be too late. The link you provided isn’t for vets. Can you resend?

 

[Eggcessive]

Oh sorry, here is the right link for state vets:
https://www.metzerfarms.com/poultry-labs.html