05/28/2026
It sounds respiratory. An antibiotic may be in order. A lot of times a mite issue will weaken them and they get other problems.
WELP! I casually assumed if I was having chicken trouble, my local rural vets would have good suggestions for me. I mean, we are SD! Nope. I lost a year old chicken a few weeks ago after a weeks illness. She grew to be quiet, poopy butted (no blood), and panted. She held her wings out from her sides, clearly having more discomfort breathing, but I didn't witness gasping.
I cleaned the coop, including a bleach scrub down, discovered a mite issue (treated everyone w permethrin spray under the wings, back of neck, and near vent 2x in 2 weeks) sprayed down coop and also sprinkled diatomaceous earth in coop, it's cracks, and in run. I have been grabbing chickens and checking under wings and around necks as a regular part of handling since I first got my hens a year ago. I've learned THE REAL TELL is to look for eggs around or just below the vent! Phew! Boy have I blown it! Poor dears! But this was a great lesson that seems to be under control now. I DO think I'm going to do an actual drench in a water/permethrin bath tomorrow for one last good measure.
But, I lost my hen that had been isolated after just the one week's illness. (YES, I checked for being egg bound-couldnt feel any sign but did a magnesium salt bath for good measure.) Now. Two weeks later as of last night I have another hen who has begun to hold her beak open.
Dang it! Ideas of what treatment to try next? Corid? Or poultry drench? Been feeding coop layer feed and our kitchen scraps.
