[sussexchook]

One of my ladies has started wheezing but it is quite loud and it sounds like a rattle lol. She is a rescue bird when we got her she was bald bless her. Now she is feathering up nicely . Does anyone have any ideas on what could be causing the wheezing.

[Helenaj]

Has she ever been wormed - always eliminate the obvious first.

Other than that and being an ex rescue the damp warm weather may not be conditions that she is used to and it sounds as though she has a respiratory infection and a trip to the vets for antibiotics may be recommended. No swollen eyes or smelly discharge?

[sussexchook]

She has no discharge or swollen eye she is a picture of health otherwise. I am not in a position where I can afford a trip to the vets either.

[Helenaj]

Unfortunately, the cost of even a vet's consultation without prescription often outweighs the cost of the hen threefold and it is always a difficult call.
All you can do is keep an eye on her, put some tonic in her water as a bit of a boost and hopefully all it will be is a summer cold - they do get them. Watch that she doesn't get picked on by the rest of the crew whilst under the weather, normal hens are bad, ex-rescue hens are brutal.
However, if she does worsen and doesn't get antibiotic treatment you may lose her and risk the affliction passing through your flock.

Best of luck and i hope she improves.

[sussexchook]

Thanks for that info ill use the tonic and hope for the best

[Mum2mj]

I had an ex batt that wheezed but was otherwise fine. I put it down to previous conditions they were kept in.

[New shoot]

A rattle like that without the other symptoms of respiratory disease can be a sign of gapeworm. Has she been wormed with Flubenvet?  This is the only effective wormer that can eliminate them.