Hello,
We have young Wyandotte hens that just recently started laying eggs about 2 weeks ago
We noticed today 1 hen that is slightly opening her mouth a tiny bit when she inhales and every few minutes she stretches her neck and opens her mouth wide. Her comb is slightly more pale than the other hens. Other than that her behavior is normal.
I was a away the past few days. I discovered this morning that the kids have been feeding the hens a bunch of dried whole corn kernels in their feed.
We brought the hen to the vet, but the vet admitted they have limited knowledge of hens. They said the heart and lungs sounded normal but noted that when the hen was taken out of the oxygen room that she started open mouth breathing again. The offered to either do x-rays or send her home with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories.
The chickens are in a coop plenty large for them with hemp bedding and pine chips bedding. Its been cold and windy and we are refortifying their outside run, so they have not been outside in 2 months. The ventilation seems okay in the coop but could be more.
The suspicion is fatty liver, egg yolk peritonitis or a respiratory virus (although that is less suspicious because the chicken hasn't been outside and the others are all healthy).
Any suggestions? Any at home therapies for these problems? Could it be parasitic?
We have young Wyandotte hens that just recently started laying eggs about 2 weeks ago
We noticed today 1 hen that is slightly opening her mouth a tiny bit when she inhales and every few minutes she stretches her neck and opens her mouth wide. Her comb is slightly more pale than the other hens. Other than that her behavior is normal.
I was a away the past few days. I discovered this morning that the kids have been feeding the hens a bunch of dried whole corn kernels in their feed.
We brought the hen to the vet, but the vet admitted they have limited knowledge of hens. They said the heart and lungs sounded normal but noted that when the hen was taken out of the oxygen room that she started open mouth breathing again. The offered to either do x-rays or send her home with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories.
The chickens are in a coop plenty large for them with hemp bedding and pine chips bedding. Its been cold and windy and we are refortifying their outside run, so they have not been outside in 2 months. The ventilation seems okay in the coop but could be more.
The suspicion is fatty liver, egg yolk peritonitis or a respiratory virus (although that is less suspicious because the chicken hasn't been outside and the others are all healthy).
Any suggestions? Any at home therapies for these problems? Could it be parasitic?