wheezing hen

maroon

Hatching
8 Years
Apr 16, 2011
2
0
7
one of my two ISA brown hens started wheezing today. she's stretching her neck, and wheezing. so obviously i'm thinking respiratory infection?

she's about a year old, has never laid an egg
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and i've never previously heard her make a sound. she also walks funny, waddles about with her tail pointing down, but is otherwise behaving normally (for her, anyway. her behaviour is always quiet, not just noise-wise. and sometimes she prefers to sit in the pop hole rather than either coming out or going to bed. but like the waddle she's always been like that. i seem to attract oddballs
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). there's nothing wrong with her appetite or poop. she has never needed vet treatment previously.

i'm guessing that Blue is going to need antibiotics?
 
First thing you will want to do is isolate her from the rest of your birds in case she has something contagious. It gives you time to decide what to do and observe her closely. Wheezing does sound respiratory, but walking funny doesn't seem to. Antibiotics might be a good start, but some more info would help. Good luck.
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I would just give her some water with a tsp of cinnamon and a tblsp of molasses mixed in. Give it to all your birds now if one has already started. Antibiotics are not nessessary.
 
she's always walked funny. i don't think its related to the wheezing, but since its an odd thing she does i thought i'd better mention it.

the only other thing i can think of is that it was properly hot for the first time this year today, maybe she was just too hot? but beaky chicken (i only have the two) wasn't at all affected by the heat.

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ty
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i'll get some down her in the morning.
 
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Quote:
ty
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i'll get some down her in the morning.

Just put it in her regular water dish and she will get what she needs. It will stop the wheezing.

If the molasses is for wheezing, what about a running nose? Would it work for that too.
 
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I would not count on molasses and cinnamon to help with a respiratory infection.
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The bird may get over it on her own, but not from molasses and a spice. Honestly, if the bird is wheezing and has runny nose it probably has one of 6 different respiratory infections that chickens can get and the bird may end up being a carrier. They don't just get a cold like a human and then get over it. One of the common infections is called Infectious Laryngotracheitis and it is a Herpes infection that is specific to chickens. Just like the human herpes infections they do not go away (ever) and it would never respond to molasses and cinammon. The other types of infections are from different organisms, but react in much the same way. The bird may recover and stay well a long time, but will eventually relapse during stress like a moult, or new birds being added, or whatever. The bird is also a carrier and can pass the illness to others.

BYC is a wonderful place and I have learned a great deal from folks on here, but just like anywhere there are folks that don't have all the facts. So, I would always check anything that someone tells you on here. Listen to the folks who have had chickens for a long time. Folks who are very serious about raising healthy birds. Natural remedies have a place, but not in treating a serious illness. At best, it MIGHT help the immune system. If you want to treat the birds you can try Tylan 50- 0.50cc injected just under the skin at the back of the neck. repeat for 5-7 days. Some folks will recommend that you cull the bird to keep it from spreading. They do know what they are talking about, because these things are very hard to treat and your bird can still infect others. Anyway, good luck with it. It can be very frustrating.
 
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You're very funny...I have raised very healthy chickens for more than 15 years, in the true NORTH, and have NEVER had to use antibiotics.
Yes I had one serious infection run through my flock about 10 years ago and had to severely cull, but other than that, never. Don't tell me what works and what doesn't.
 
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You're very funny...I have raised very healthy chickens for more than 15 years, in the true NORTH, and have NEVER had to use antibiotics.
Yes I had one serious infection run through my flock about 10 years ago and had to severely cull, but other than that, never. Don't tell me what works and what doesn't.

So Morelcabin, are you saying that the molasses will work for a runny nose? I am up to trying natural remedies before others. Thanks
 
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