Why is my hen breathing with an open mouth, not eating, and has mucus?

It sounds like a severe respiratory infection, it could be viral, bacterial, fungal or parasitic. I strongly recommend that you contact an avian or poultry vet in your area in order to provide her proper treatment.

She may have a respiratory infection. This can be a bacterial, fungal or air sac mite infection. Clarabelle would need to be physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating domestic fowl for confirmation. Antibiotics may be indicated. In the meantime, keep her warm and separated from the flock if you have more chickens. placing her in a steamy bathroom, NOT in the shower, may help loosen up and congestion. Keep her as stress free as possible until she sees the vet.

She is definitely in need of an examination by a veterinarian to assess the situation more carefully. Based on the information you've provided, it sounds like she could have some sort of upper respiratory infection, as these often can cause the eyes to crust up and shut completely. Antibiotics and anti inflammatory medication are usually the best bets for this sort of ailment. However, first things first, you'll need to have someone take a look at her to make sure there isn't a primary ocular issue going on instead. Hope this makes sense.

Unfortunately, those are extremely vague signs of illness, so it would be hard to say what is going on. It would be best to separate the sick hen from your flock to avoid being picked on and spreading any illness. Keeping her warm in quarantine with easy access to food and water may help, however if you can't find an outward cause of her illness, she will need to be seen by a vet in person to determine what the issue is.

Thanks for reaching out and including a photo. No antibiotic will treat all bacterial infections. Not all respiratory problems are bacterial, let alone infectious. There are several viral diseases possible, and many non-infectious problems. Inhaled toxins or foreign bodies can cause respiratory problems. An enlarged liver, spleen or other internal organs can not allow chickens to take a deep breathe. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Is the abdomen distended? Ascites (fluid accumulation) can be due to liver, kidney, ovarian and other problems. Draining the fluid (through a veterinary visit) can relieve symptoms but is probably not a cure. Good luck.

This sounds like Petunia may be ill or suffering from a nutrition deficiency if she wasn't fed a balanced diet for chickens or allowed to forage to supplement her feeding. I would seek out veterinary care right away if home treatments have not helped and she is worsening.

If home remedies haven't worked, then it is time to seek out the care of a vet. It is possible there is a bacterial or fungal infection going on that may be causing the symptoms you are seeing and require antibiotic or anti-fungal treatment. Making sure the coop is kept clean and the hens aren't laying in their own droppings can also help keep their bottoms clean if there is no underlying illness. You can also bathe any affected hens to help clean up their bottoms and provide some relief from the irritation. If you have a hen that is acting very ill, I would remove her from the flock and place her into a hospital cage with easy access to food and water until you can be seen by a vet. Separating any other sick birds is also a good idea if you suspect something infectious to keep your remaining hens safe and healthy.