Strange wheezing/gurgle from hen????

[Mr. Frizzles Hen House]

Quote:
Well thank you patandchickens as well A chain saw, ha?!?!? I can just see your chickens faces when that stared up. Too funny!

 

[Three Cedars Silkies]

You can get VetRx at the feed store. It's a homeopathic medication for poultry that has been around many, many years. Good stuff!

 

[Poohbear]

Yep, Feedstores, Co-op or most places that sell grain. Just call around until you find someone that has it OR send me a private message and I'll round some up for you.

 

[Mr. Frizzles Hen House]

Update... I went out to open the hatch and give treats. Little Miss Frizzle seems back to normal. No raspy breathing, just her normal little honky noises. Does that mean its not respiratory and was her crop? Maybe it helped that I massaged it. They have a dirt run, but I dumped a bucket of sand it there for more gritty substance. Maybe that helped? I'm still gonna work to improve ventilation and get some of that vetrx to have on hand.

 

[Wynette]

Hi there; yes, VetRX is a really good thing to have on hand, and I use it regularly; however, if a chicken is already raspy, you have a respiratory illness going on. I'm surprised to hear that your girl seems fine today. Please watch her closely, and remove her if you hear raspiness or gurgling again. If you've got a respiratory thing going on, IMHO, the most successful course is to treat with an antibiotic specifically for respiratory illnesses immediately (such as Tylan or Gallimycin), before it gets worse. I have lost several pullets over the last year to respiratory illnesses, and the ones that have survived are the ones that I took immediate action with. The ones I took a "wait and see" attitude with, I lost.

Many folks do not believe in treating for respiratory illness; they cull these birds so as to not pass along the illness via carriers in their flock. Just know that there are very different schools of thought on how to treat (or IF you should treat).

BEST of luck with your girl; I truly do hope she's fine!!

 

[Mr. Frizzles Hen House]

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I was surprised too. I only have ten chickens, which are for eggs and pets. My boys would be devistated at the lose of one. I would not be culling anyone unless it was a humane issue. So, can you give those two medicines if your not sure, or is resistance an issue with over use like in people. If so, where do you get it. I guess I need to find a local vet who knows chickens. Any suggestions for Kitsap County, WA?

 

[Wynette]

Excellent questions. Yes, they can develop resistance to the antibiotics. That's what makes it such a difficult decision whether or not to treat. You can find both of these meds at Twin Cities Poultry Supply, among other places ( http://www.twincitypoultrysupplies.com/store/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=2 ) along with Aureomycin, another good respiratory antibiotic.

The best course of action is definitely to see an avian vet; I'm not from your area, but I found my local avian vet by simply calling my regular small animal vet; they were able to give me a reference.

How I handled respiratory issues is I tried a course of Tylan (water soluble - it also comes in injectable form, which is probably a better way to go if you're not opposed to giving injections), since it's only 3-5 days. Then, if the bird wasn't better, I tried the Gallimycin. Always give yogurt while treating with antibioitcs (and after, for several days) - this puts the beneficial bacteria back into the gut that is destroyed by the use of the antibiotic.

BEST of luck to you!! Please keep us posted, okay? Here's hoping you have nothing going on, and it's a non-issue for you!!

 

[Mr. Frizzles Hen House]

Thanks so much!!! I will let you know if anything changes

 

[Wynette]

You're more than welcome...sounds like you've got a good handle on it, and are watchful. Good to hear! Enjoy your girls!!