Weird gurgling sound - any ideas what this could be?

[ChristineR]

I've noticed that one of my geese has had diarrhea for a little while, but couldn't figure out which one it was and none of them acted sick. Then, a couple weeks ago a few were standing around me waiting for dinner and I heard a weird gurgling sound. It sounded almost like a person's stomach gurgling. It starts quiet, builds in volume, then tapers off. It didn't seem to coincide with breathing and I didn't hear any wheezing or rasping noises with each breath. These gurgles would happen at a regular rate (which is what originally made me think it was breathing, but they were too far apart to be breaths anyway). I listened for awhile, couldn't figure out what it was, and eventually it stopped.

Fast forward to a couple days ago. Tuesday night (today is Thursday), I noticed one of my ducks seemed to be feeling a little off (was a little unsteady on her feet). I put their food bowl down and she came to eat as normal. I made note to pay attention to how she was doing. Last night when I went out to feed, she was laying in the corner of her pen with her head down and eyes closed. I brought her in the house, gave her a warm bath, wrapped her in a dry towel, and left her in a warm bathroom. She wouldn't eat or drink and I noticed the exact same noise coming from her! She died a little after midnight.

What could this be?

 

[Carrosaur]

Strange. The only time I've had a goose go off and die in a corner was with a blocked crop. Didn't notice gurgling sounds though.

 

[ChristineR]

It's weird. It's something contagious, though, since it seemed to be passed from my goose to my duck.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It's weird. It's something contagious, though, since it seemed to be passed from my goose to my duck.

@ChristineR if you can get a necropsy done that would be a good idea then you'll know what your dealing with.

I am so sorry for you loss.

Do you think they may have gotten into a toxin of some sort?

sad thing about water fowl is they can be sick for quite a while before we notice and then sometimes it's too late.

 

[ChristineR]

Do you think they may have gotten into a toxin of some sort?

I don't think so. The geese are free range, but the ducks are in a pen.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't think so. The geese are free range, but the ducks are in a pen.

How is everyone else? you said a duck has the same thing how is it doing?

 

[ChristineR]

How is everyone else? you said a duck has the same thing how is it doing?

The duck is the only bird who has died or who has appeared to be ill. Sorry, my original post may not have been clear on that. The other geese and ducks seem pretty well, except that I know at least one goose has diarrhea (but I'm not sure who) and that one night, I heard one of them making the same weird noise that the duck was making the night she died. Otherwise, everyone is acting normal.

I suspect that they are harboring something at the sub-clinical level. The duck that died has always seemed a little weaker/lower on the totem pole than the others and I think that's why she succumbed. She was an Ancona that I had to help hatch, fully formed, but with a slightly deformed bill. She was our pet, but lived with all the other ducks during the off breeding season.

I didn't think to save her body for a necropsy. I just have a small flock and in ten years, I think I've only lost two or three birds (not counting losses to predators).

 

[Miss Lydia]

The duck is the only bird who has died or who has appeared to be ill. Sorry, my original post may not have been clear on that. The other geese and ducks seem pretty well, except that I know at least one goose has diarrhea (but I'm not sure who) and that one night, I heard one of them making the same weird noise that the duck was making the night she died. Otherwise, everyone is acting normal.

I suspect that they are harboring something at the sub-clinical level. The duck that died has always seemed a little weaker/lower on the totem pole than the others and I think that's why she succumbed. She was an Ancona that I had to help hatch, fully formed, but with a slightly deformed bill. She was our pet, but lived with all the other ducks during the off breeding season.

I didn't think to save her body for a necropsy. I just have a small flock and in ten years, I think I've only lost two or three birds (not counting losses to predators).

I read your post wrong I thought your goose died.

Have you ever wormed your flock? or do you? I only worm my water fowl 1X year in late fall. They can have many different kinds of worms gizzard being one. I'd pick as many as you can up to see if they feel bony or skinny Hard to tell under all those feathers.

 

[The goose girl]

My goose makes that sound too - kind of a grinding/stomach growling sound that lasts for a few seconds. I'm pretty sure it's the gizzard doing its job - grinding the food. Although first time I noticed it, she was laying, and I panicked thinking the egg had broken inside her.

But that was two years ago, and she's still a happy, healthy goose who's produced more than 150 eggs.

 

[Carrosaur]

My goose makes that sound too - kind of a grinding/stomach growling sound that lasts for a few seconds. I'm pretty sure it's the gizzard doing its job - grinding the food. Although first time I noticed it, she was laying, and I panicked thinking the egg had broken inside her.

But that was two years ago, and she's still a happy, healthy goose who's produced more than 150 eggs.

That's a lot of omelettes! What do you do with them all?