My Lace Wyandotte was puny yesterday, droopy with increased respirations, beak open, not eating or drinking, yellow diarrhea. healthy and egg laid 2 days ago. I don't know if she ate something that was the problem ( She free ranged 2 days ago with the others for about 45 minutes. I do organic gardening; no pesticides or herbicides. Some weeds were dumped in main pen and she was started 1 week ago on grain diet, vs the pellets I usually feed. The rest of the 7 chickens have no symptoms. She has no sniffles or sneezing. Palpate no masses anywhere. Her comb and face pale today and she still is not eating or drinking.
Optional Information: Type of Animal: Laying Hen Gender: Female Age: 1 year Name of Bird: Lacey Already Tried: Olive oil and massage of crop, just in case. Nothing really expressed out, but just before, tipped her forward and yellow thin mucoid fluid ran out of her beak
Hi there. Sorry your bird is having problems. With the lack of the other birds affected, I am not sure this is a parasite issue, but she certainly could have some internal parasites causing blood loss. I would check around her vent, under her tail and see if you see any bugs crawling.She could also be pale from a lack of perfusion, that is, her blood is not flowing well to parts of her body. Open mouth breathing is usually a sign of a respiratory problem, whether this is a cardiac/pulmonary problem, or an infection of some type.You may want to get your bird into see a vet sooner rather than later. They can do fecal testing and any other tests that need to be done. I am very concerned about the open mouth breathing. Let me know if you have any other questions. Please rate my answer when you have a chance. I am here to help further if needed.
Experience: Mostly experience with chickens and ducks.
Pushed dilute pedialyte with syringe and 25g intracath. After 3 times she seems better, eating and drinking on her own. She is molting too. I don't really know but appreciate your help
I would continue with the therapy you have instituted, at least for a while. If she is molting, she won't be laying eggs. I would also check her legs and around her vent for parasites, and treat appropriately.Let me know how she does.