Hen Gurgling... need help planning a treatment...precautions

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Bocktobery 10

Bocktobery 10

Songster
10 Years
Oct 8, 2010
832
388
241
I was pleasantly surprised with a gifted hen on Sunday by a friend. My friend didn’t know I had just lost a 5 year old hen that very morning to something- most likely respiratory. By the time the gifted hen arrived I had already moved the deceased hen outside for burial.

So with any new chicken I put them in quarantine so this hen has been in an adjacent room from the room where the sick deceased hen was. I had washed and bleached down things...and I even changed my clothes and put clean laundered ones on after burying the deceased. I was very cautious, not only with her but with my flock outside on the coop. Sadly, last night I saw one of my 2 year old leghorns looking lethargic so I brought her inside last night and put her in the room where the now deceased bird was being treated. Now I see this morning that the gifted hen in quarantine is gurgling! I feel quite upset over everything and I’m concerned about outbreak. I have started both birds on tetracycline in their water, but should I also treat all of my flocks outside? How do I go about preventing the spread of this? I have to say, i’n utterly shocked...I was ultra cautious, even showering after handing the deceased bird and cleaning the cage/room. Can someone help me plan a treatment procedure?

I know the new gifted hen is probably already stressed from the change of residence, so I’m hoping that’s why she got sick so easily. The hen that died had been sick earlier this year but pulled through. I had felt she got sick due to a pHysical injury. She had a reversal of health when the weather got cold. This other hen from my coop quickly came down with something last evening- I have not heard gurgling from her yet. She’s just lethargic and wasn’t interested in food last night. I started an antibiotic with her last night and she did eat a bit for me this morning but didn’t finish the food. As I said I’m treating both birds with tetracycline in their water. Do you think I should do the same with all of the other birds in my flocks outside? I don’t want to overmedicate, but at the same time... had one that was already somewhat sick pass away rather quickly and now these two turning quickly.

Should I treat my flocks with tetracycline too? Even if there are no signs? If so, for how long and what dosage? And is tetracycline a good start or is there something better?

All I see is the gurgling of the one that died and the new gifted hen..and lethargy in the other. Both of their droppings look ok, but the gifted hen’s droppings have smelled very sour since late Monday evening. I’m not sure this was cecal poo or not. The other hen seems to have a lot of urates (white stuff) and aren’t really watery but loose, and a little amount.

Any advice?
 
instead of burying you should have sent to state vet for a necropsy stating it's from a back yard flock, to do this you double bag the dead bird and refrigerate it not freeze, as I don't know where your at can't give ya any idea which state to link ya up with.

Tagging a couple of people that can maybe better advise you.
@Eggcessive
@casportpony
@Texas Kiki
 
Bocktobery 10 said:
Just to be clear.. I’m using a powder form of oxytetracycline HCI. I used a half tablespoon of it in one half gallon.
Click to expand...
Which one?

casportpony said:
1000
LL
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Click to expand...
 
slordaz said:
instead of burying you should have sent to state vet for a necropsy stating it's from a back yard flock, to do this you double bag the dead bird and refrigerate it not freeze, as I don't know where your at can't give ya any idea which state to link ya up with.

Tagging a couple of people that can maybe better advise you.
@Eggcessive
@casportpony
@Texas Kiki
Click to expand...


I would’ve done this but the rest of the family would’ve vehemently objected to having it in the fridge. They aren’t so gung-ho about chickens as I am, but I would’ve preferred to do that as I’m very curious as to what ailed that hen. We have no other means of refrigeration, so I didn’t have that option.

There’s also the issue that I’m currently healthwise not doing well, so I get especially fearful when I’m around anything with any possible contagious something-or-other. It’s kind of also the reason I went ballistic with cleaning. I love my birds, but I just got over 4 years of practically being bedbound and catching every bug out there where recovering took an average of a week and a half later than everyone else. So, I’m dealing with some heavy health PTSD. ...and scared for my flock.

I have looked up the state agricultural department... if I have another die I might try and send it right away.. not sure. I live near where it is, so perhaps they’d it take in right away.
 
Yes if it's during business hours you can take it to them. another way would be to put it in a cooler in the shade maybe, so you weren't getting other contaminants like fly larvae and stuff, you could always call and ask them
 

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