Chickens gurgling when breathing plus sneezing/coughing & making strange head movement

[MeTxLady]

Still feeling unsure. Vet said he thinks it's bacterial. He is prescribing amoxicillin in the drinking water for two weeks. I assumed when I took her in they would be able to do some kind of test and KNOW what exactly is wrong but that wasn't the case. He said 4-5 other flocks have come in over the past. 30 days with the same thing. One lady lost 10 of her 30 chickens. One lost none that he knows of. He said I could expect somewhere in the middle. Seriously? I think one would if died by now. Very disappointed in this vet visit. Will giving this to my entire flock lower their immunity and he said ok for my ducks but honestly I don't feel real confident in what he said. Feeling very confused.

 

[Eggcessive]

I wouldn't treat any poultry that don't have symptoms, and the ones with symptoms should be separated from those who are not sick. they will all be carriers anyway whether they are symptomatic or not. Amoxicillin is not usually put in the water, and I would be a little suspicious of that. It's a good drug for many things, but it needs to be given 2-3 times a day orally to each chicken. Most sources, such as Plumb's veterinary Handbook, say to give birds 100mg 3 times a day, or 250mg twice a day.
Really, though for respiratory diseases such as MG, Tylan 50 injectable is preferable. It can be given 1/4 ml for bantams, 1/2 ml for chickens under 5 lb, and 1 ml for chickens over 5 lb.. Give it once or twice a day for 5 days. If giving it as a shot in the breast instead of orally, give it for 3 days. Oxytetracycline and Gallimycin are 2 other antibiotics that can be given in the water for 7 days, and Tylan Soluble Powder can be given in the water for 5 days. You can contact your state vet to ask questions about getting a chicken tested, or sacrificing one to send to the state vet for a necropsy, which will give you a disease name. Many respiratory viruses and bacterial diseases come in twos. State vet link: http://www.usaha.org/Portals/6/StateAnimalHealthOfficials.pdf

 

[MeTxLady]

Ok. I think I will look for Tylan 50 and only treat the sick ones or ones showing symptoms. Thanks for your advice. How do I give this oraly as opposed to a shot? Or do you mean "in the water" when you say oraly? I'd rather treat with putting something in the water that is in for all the flock and my 5 mallards so if one if the two antibiotics you mentioned would be ok for that I'll trybo did one of those. Never given a shot to a chicken or anything for that matter but not oppose to trying if that's the best avenue to go right now.

 

[Eggcessive]

Give the Tylan 50 directly into their beaks, giving them time to swallow. Since I am right handed, if I have to give medicine to a chicken, I hold them under my left arm and use my left hand to pull down on the wattles to open the beak. I use my right hand to squirt in the liquid a little at a time, releasing the wattles to let them swallow. You will need to purchase some 3 ml/cc syringes and needles to withdraw the medicine from the bottle, then twist off the needle when you give it orally.

 

[MeTxLady]

I'm a little bit scared to give injections. Do you think Terra-Vet 10 in water might work and would be a good start and be safe for all the chickens and my ducks?

 

[fluffykitty12]

Have you considered sourcrop as a possibility? I remember I have a girl who was chronic with it- She'd shake her head and gurgle and look so miserable. I had to turn her upsidedown and squeeze her crop, which was softball-sized and felt like a balloon. I watched at least a cup of nasty brown fluid pour out of her mouth and cured it with monistat- It very well could be a respiratory disease, it's just best to rule out all possibilities beforehand.

 

[MeTxLady]

I did not consider this because they are all eating and drinking fine. I do think it's respiratory or slight chance of gape worms but not a crop issue. Thanks for your input.

 

[Eggcessive]

I'm a little bit scared to give injections. Do you think Terra-Vet 10 in water might work and would be a good start and be safe for all the chickens and my ducks?

Just give the Tylan 50 by mouth then. They get a proper dose, when putting medicines into the water, they have to drink a normal amount of water for it to help. And I would advise you to only treat birds who are ill, and separate them from the others.

 

[MeTxLady]

UPDATE: Just gave the chickens (sick ones only) the 9th dose of the Tylan 50. I chose to give it orally. We saw improvement after just two doses. Of the 7 that we are treating, only one still "sometimes" makes a gurgling sound when going to roost at night. The two roosters are crowing normally and the other hens only have a sneeze here and there. Tonight will be the 10th and final dose.

QUESTION: If any are still showing signs of illness at all should I continue use on them? Also, do I need to disinfect their house or my yard and if so what do I safely use? Again, they free range during the day. We keep food and water inside the hen house as well as outside. We also have 5 mallard ducks that free range but have their own house for night time.

 

[Eggcessive]

It's good to hear that they are improving. Most respiratory diseases can be chronic and come back whenever they are stressed. The flock should be considered carriers for life. You really can't disinfect your yard, and most diseases only are viable for 2-3 days on surfaces. I would make sure that the coop ventilation is very good, it's not too hot, keep down ammonia odors, and make sure that everything stays as dry as possible, since those things can increase respiratory diseases. Here are some good articles about the common diseases, and especially MG, one of the most common ones:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps034
http://umaine.edu/livestock/poultry/mycoplasma-gallisepticum-faq/
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/disea...tion-mg-chronic-respiratory-disease-chickens/
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044