Chicken hen gurgling

[MartinsPoultry]

I just noticed this morning, a hen of mine is gurgling. I was tested this year and certified NPIP. Ive had to cage her due her bad habit of eating eggs and pulling feathers.
Right now I have no means to spend money on expensive antibiotics or a vet trip.

What can I do as a home remedy?

 

[Lady of McCamley]

Well, that depends upon what is wrong.

It also depends on you NPIP certification. If it is any of the illnesses that you are certified for, you are duty bound to report it. (And you'll have to look at your state's NPIP documentation to see what your requirements are and the diseases monitored.)

The illnesses covered (as you know) by NPIP generally are (taken from the NPIP website):
The development of the NPIP was initiated to eliminate Pullorum Disease caused by Salmonella pullorum which was rampant in poultry and could cause upwards of 80% mortality in baby poultry. The program was later extended and refined to include testing and monitoring for Salmonella typhoid, Salmonella enteritidis, Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma synoviae, Mycoplasma meleagridis, and Avian Influenza.

Since MG and AI can cause the type of gurgling you are experiencing with this hen (albeit so can other things), I think in order to keep your NPIP, you have to take her to the vet to rule out any of those diseases.

As to what it could be. It could be a mild non-monitored viral illness and will simply pass, such as Infectious Bronchitis, which can produce gurgling. BUT...It could possibly be Avian Influenza, something that is very much monitored.

A lessor virus, such as IB (which can kill susceptible individuals, while others have little more than the sniffles) simply requires TLC, food/water, electrolytes/vitamins in water. You can add garlic (a good anti-viral) into her mash if she is eating. I've also added Elderberry tincture to the water (a couple of tablespoons to a gallon) which is also anti-viral.

But again, since you are following the NPIP program, I believe it is within your certification requirements to have any ill bird tested that exhibits symptoms that could be one of the listed illnesses.

Sorry.

LofMc

http://www.poultryimprovement.org/d...03a6591d2-42D59D9F-C7EB-6A43-476EE947B8A9CAED

 

[MartinsPoultry]

Heres my question.
Could eating to much watermelon over the course of two weeks cause this? Its been a scorcher here in WV and to help keep everyone cool we have frozen water melon chunks and put then outside for everyone?

 

[Eggcessive]

I am not so sure that respiratory diseases are part of NPIP testing in each state. Gurgling can also be a sign of a crop problem, as well as a respiratory disease, such as mycoplasma, coryza, ILT, or others. It can be hard to tell one disease from another without reading and comparing symptoms. I would start by feeling her crop to check if it is overly full or puffy like a balloon. That could be sour crop. Then look for signs of watery eyes or crusted eyes, nasal drainage, labored breathing, any swelling around an eye or the face, and cough or sneezing. Google "common diseases in poultry" and look over the respiratory disease symptoms listed above.

 

[MartinsPoultry]

Her crop empties like a normal chicken she has the appetite of a goat. I think I might know what caused it. My family and I build a divider in the coop to introduce our younger stock into the major flock, she was in there in the process and has been caged up due to her liking to eat my gosh darned eggs makes me so mad. With moving hay, her and sawdust flying I wonder if it isnt a form of Hayfever? we have it open all day long for ventilation and a fan in the windows one blowing air in and one out.
She got a doozy of a water mixture this morning and all day, Garlic juice, ASV and Honey to make it not so bitter. She loved it, as well as crushed garlic in her feed mash.

 

[MartinsPoultry]

@Lady of McCamley and @Eggcessive

I just remebered I just switched to a new mite treatment powder, Diatomaceous Earth food grade incase my flock eats it on the ground. And ever since I treated them and their bedding a few more have begun sneezing and coughing. Could that be my whole issue? I just treated the bedding 2 days ago and not 4 days prior i treated my flock.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

I obviously can't say if that is what is causing your symptoms or not.

If there are no other symptoms: no runny eyes, noses, no facial swelling, no scabs/sores, no diarrhea, no rumpled feathers, no lethargy, it could be possible.

I do know I personally don't use DE because it is known to be a respiratory irritant for man and beast. The diatom skeletons are crushed to form abrasive powder. When that is inhaled, it can cause irritation in the lungs.

Food grade DE is used instead of pool grade (or utility) grade DE, as the bad silica content is much less. Depending on the type, silica is very irritating to the lungs and can cause permanent scarring, even cancer.

So if they appear healthy and fine other than sneezy and coughing. Remove the irritant and then they are normal. Return the irritant (DE) and you get the same symptoms, that would be pretty definitive.

Here is an article that gives a pretty good look at DE use in poultry.
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2012/05/diatomaceous-earth-de-benefitrisk.html

My thoughts.
LofMc

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree that DE should be used with caution. Many use it, but I don't and would not. If there is already a mite problem, it won't help. Permethrin is much safer to use for mite treatment. DE also will not treat worms.

 

[MartinsPoultry]

I will be switching back to Permethrin once I get some money in. Everyone seems fine, I cleaned the coop out again mopped the rubber flooring beneath the hay and placed down shaving once it was all dried out, and since then everyone seems to be breathing better, foraging, eating, drinking, dusting etc.

 

[Lady of McCamley]

So good to hear.

Chickens, like all birds, do have sensitive lungs.

Hope this indeed is the cure for you.

LofMc