Thank you Crystal for the reply. I do not know the age of the hens. I adopted the hens after a family friend passed away suddenly this year. What I can see from observing is that she has a smaller comb and wattle then the rest of the flock, she is lower on the pecking order as everyone pushes her to the side and warning pecks at her while eating, her body size under her feathers feels smaller then the rest of the hens. She is now constantly breathing with her mouth open. I do see her eating with the other hens.

Shelter: coop with nesting box and perches with attached run situated underneath a large shaded tree. Sun directly into coop is only for a few hours before noon, then the sun is blocked out by the tree canopy. Floor is dirt with small pebbles which chickens have scratched up and yes it’s dusty because of that. I try to spread dried hemp nesting material on the ground from Rent-A-Coop to cover the dirt and try to remove dried poop from the run to spread around plants and compost pile. I don’t let the hens roam because one of the neighbors has dogs which attack chickens and animals in general also because stray chickens also come into the yard and don’t want the hens to follow them off the property.

Inside of the coop which is raised above the ground, I’ve spread hemp bedding sprinkled with organic lavender, thyme, rosemary, and bay leaves. Nesting box has coconut fiber sprinkled with nesting box herbs.

Run outside has a dusting bath area with a mix of play sand, diatomaceous earth, hardwood ash.

Temperatures in Hawaii are in the 80’s. Sunny with occasional rain.

In addition to their Scratch & Peck pellets I supplement with fermented organic grains which they get daily in a salad which I spread out in a trough. Here are some of the ingredients that change daily depending on availability…wish I could post photos here.

Example supplemental salad ingredients:

Organic fermented: kamut, oat groats, green split peas, millet, raw pumpkin seeds, wheat berries, whole yellow corn

Organic spring mix greens

Organic Dave’s Killer 21 Whole Grains bread

Organic apples diced with Ceylon cinnamon sprinkled on apples

Organic sprouted lentils, adzuki, and others on rotation

Organic cucumbers diced

Organic minced ginger

Non-gmo black soldier fly larvae

Herb sprinkled onto salad containing a mixture of: kelp, thyme, chickweed, calendula, chili pepper flakes, etc

Water: filtered by Clearly Filtered pitcher which I wait til room temperature then fill their gravity waterer with. I’ve been adding organic raw apple cider vinegar to their water at 1 tbs per gallon.

Free feed: oyster shell flakes and small grits are always accessible in open feeders.

Recently added an additional small gravity waterer with poultry Nutri-Drench after reading about lots of chicken owners adding it to their water when chickens are ill.

I am trying to get this hen in question to another separate shelter and see how she does in less dusty ground and some peace and quiet away from the more lively hens.

My cats have a holistic veterinarian that has his own small private practice at his residence. He does not do emergencies nor will take in patients with respiratory issues unfortunately. I live on a small island with a shortage of medical doctors of all fields including veterinarians. I’m hoping to self treat her with herbs and do what I can to make her situation better. All advice and assistance is appreciated. Thank you so much! 🐓🌺💗

Hi Crystal, took the sneezing hen to the vet and after a radiograph found that she had a respiratory infection 🤧 Poor bird! Will do what it takes for her to recover. Thank you again for your reply and hope your chickens are well.