Chicken gurgling when breathing

[nzchickmama]

I got a new chicken yesterday (6 months old) and when the previous owner picked her up to put her in the cage, a lot of clear fluid came out of her mouth. Then she was making a noticeable gurgling sound when she breathed. I’ve got her seperated from my other hen. She’s still gurgling, but no other symptoms - she is alert, no discharge, pooping fine. She’s eating a little bit, but not much as she’s obviously still stressed from the new environment etc. I phoned the vet who suggested gapeworm, and I’ve medicated her drinking water, but it’s the gurgling sound that worries me. She isn’t “gaping” like I’ve read chickens do with gapeworm. Any help appreciated

 

[ChicNmom]

I had a rooster that had got sick and had a gurgling sound like that. A vet friend gave us some Baytril antibiotic and it cleared him right up. I'm assuming her medicated water has an antibiotic in it. So as long as it's something for a respiratory issue I can't think of anything else you can do.

Do her eyes look puffy? Is she breathing through her nostrils or open mouth breathing?

 

[nzchickmama]

I had a rooster that had got sick and had a gurgling sound like that. A vet friend gave us some Baytril antibiotic and it cleared him right up. I'm assuming her medicated water has an antibiotic in it. So as long as it's something for a respiratory issue I can't think of anything else you can do.

Do her eyes look puffy? Is she breathing through her nostrils or open mouth breathing?

Thanks for your reply The medicated water is for gapeworm - so don’t think its got an antibiotic in it. Her eyes aren’t puffy and she’s breathing through her nose most of the time, then sometimes through her mouth and that’s when i can hear the gurgling.

 

[Lucy Brown]

Hmm, it might be gapeworm but it also might be a respiratory infection. I cleared my chickens from respiratory infection by giving them a lot of herbs, but you might need antibiotics.

 

[nzchickmama]

Hmm, it might be gapeworm but it also might be a respiratory infection. I cleared my chickens from respiratory infection by giving them a lot of herbs, but you might need antibiotics.

Yeah I’m kinda thinking I might give her antibiotics in any case - can’t hurt right? And she can’t go in with my other hen until she’s healthy

 

[Eggcessive]

Picking up a chicken and accidentally squeezing the crop might make them throw up and choking or aspirationnof crop contents is always a risk. Then again, the chicken could be having a crop problem. I would feel of her crop in early morning before she eats or drinks to check if her crop is empty and flat, or full, hard, doughy, or puffy. Hopefully, she will get better soon. Here is some info on how to tell if you have a crop problem:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Picking up a chicken and accidentally squeezing the crop might make them throw up and choking or aspirationnof crop contents is always a risk. Then again, the chicken could be having a crop problem. I would feel of her crop in early morning before she eats or drinks to check if her crop is empty and flat, or full, hard, doughy, or puffy. Hopefully, she will get better soon. Here is some info on how to tell if you have a crop problem:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

I agree, it sounds like she aspirated. I would double check to make sure her crop is emptying overnight.

You are giving medicated water to treat for gapeworm? What are you using?

 

[78753]

I"m in a similar situation, so have little useful information, but a posting anyway- for solidarity? I have a hen I've had inside, in a dog crate for a month now. (OK, she gets to walk around the room for a few hours each day until I get tired of cleaning up poop.) She first had coccidiosis, and I treated her successfully for that with Corid. As soon as she was over it she came down with: coughing, I guess it is? And she sounds like a cat purring when she sleeps. Breating through liquid? Like yours she's otherwise alert and happy. She's just lately also had a little nasal wetness. I've heard antibiotics might work (doxycycline), but can't bear to spend $32 on a 16 oz bottle and use only 30cc's out of the whole thing with no promise that it will actually cure her. We're both unemployed now and -well, broke. Any ideas of other ways to get antibiotics or to treat her would be welcomed. Someone told me maybe it's allergies, but I don't really believe it. . She's a nice chicken, but I'm concerned that if I put her in with the flock I may get a whole coop of bubbling chickens. We have access to a local farm store (hence the 16 oz bottle of doxy) as well as tractor supply.

 

[nzchickmama]

Picking up a chicken and accidentally squeezing the crop might make them throw up and choking or aspirationnof crop contents is always a risk. Then again, the chicken could be having a crop problem. I would feel of her crop in early morning before she eats or drinks to check if her crop is empty and flat, or full, hard, doughy, or puffy. Hopefully, she will get better soon. Here is some info on how to tell if you have a crop problem:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Thanks for that! Yes the guy picked her up quite tightly I think, and right after she’d had a lot to eat. I wouldn’t really know how to feel the chickens crop - I haven’t done this before!

 

[nzchickmama]

I agree, it sounds like she aspirated. I would double check to make sure her crop is emptying overnight.

You are giving medicated water to treat for gapeworm? What are you using?

I’m using AviVerm for the potential gapeworm