Oh no! She has a "gurgling" sound!!

[Chickaroo!]

Ruby, my RIR has a gurgling sound when she breaths!! I'm not sure of her age, as I got her as an adult, but I've had her since Oct. of '07. She's eating/drinking fine and is bright eyed and has a bright red comb. I've checked in her mouth and I don't see anything unusual.

What could it be and what should I try to maybe give her to help. She's a sweetheart (and won 3rd place in the RIR contest that was on here just a few weeks ago) and I love her!

Oh, I forgot...she hasn't layed in months, but she likes to try to sit on the other's eggs. When I collect the other's eggs out from under her, she doesn't seem to mind and just comes on out of the nesting box and goes about her normal chicken business.

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Give her some Vitamins and Electrolytes along with Terramycin (2 teaspoons per gallon of water).

 

[Chickaroo!]

I do have Avia Charge that I sometimes put in their water. Should I not use that in place of the Teccamycin? The electrolytes go in the water also, correct? What exactly should I look for, for the electrolytes? One more question: Is is okay that she stay with the other 2 chickens and what about them drinking the medicated water?

 

[SundownWaterfowl]

Chickaroo! :

I do have Avia Charge that I sometimes put in their water. Should I not use that in place of the Teccamycin? The electrolytes go in the water also, correct? What exactly should I look for, for the electrolytes? One more question: Is is okay that she stay with the other 2 chickens and what about them drinking the medicated water?

I use Durvet vitamins, they can either go in the water (1 teaspoon per gallon) or be sprinkled in the food. If she is with 2 other hens, I wouldnt eat the eggs for about 1-2 weeks after she has been off the medication.​

 

[Chickaroo!]

What about the stuff called Polyvisol? I do have some of that here and I've seen it suggested for many other things. Do you think that would help her?

 

[chickenlady]

Terramycin will probably not do anything in this case. I would use something along the lines of tylan 50 or gallimycin or agrimycin (oxytetracycline hydrochloride). Something that is specifically designed for respiratory problems. Avia charge is a good idea all the time.

Edited to answer previous questions: Polyvisol is just vitamins. I think avia charge is better. polyvisol is recommended alot because it is easy to get and easy to administer to chicks or very sick birds. Neither polyvisol or avia charge are medications, they are vitamins. I had a bird with a rattle and treated with tylan 50 injectable for 3 days, rattle all gone. I had another bird with a rattle that I gave agrimycin (water soluble) for 7 days, rattle all gone.

 

[Chickaroo!]

Did you seperate the sick chicken? My other chickens seem perfectly fine and are making no gurgly sounds at all. And they've been laying every day. If I don't seperate them, would it hurt the two non-sick chickens to drink the medicated water?

 

[chickenlady]

It wouldnt hurt them per say but you really dont want to give medication to healthy birds for no reason. I had 1 coop that had 1 bird that got sick. I didnt treat it, it spread one by one to the rest of the birds in the coop. I finally treated it after that. Next time I know better and will separate at treat immediately. This is just my experience.

 

[Chickaroo!]

Thanks Chickenlady!! I will try to figure out a way to seperate her from the others and get the Agirmycin you suggested. Can I get it at someplace like TSC or Southern States?