# Help - Gurgling Chickens



## RebeccaMo

Something is going on with a few of my hens. They make a gurgling (congested like) sound when breathing. There have been no other symptoms. I am scared because a friend had brought over a chicken that started staggering and had what I call a twisted neck. When the bird was sitting upright, its neck would be twisted all the way around and would be looking straight up. I kept it sepperated from the others, but am affraid that somehow it may have caused the others to get sick. Their symptoms were not the same, but just scared. I have gotten rid of the "twisted neck" chicken. Now I need to do something for my others. Anyone have any thoughts or advice?? BTW, I'm new here, but have really liked what I have seen so far.


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## oregon woodsmok

I'm not a vet, OK? So I'm not giving veterinary advice.

But for my own poultry, if they sound congested, they go straight onto antibiotic. Tetracycline is good for lung issues, and it is easily available and is approved for use in poultry.

Follow the directions on the packet and give a complete course of antibiotics. Don't stop early because you think they are well.


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## RebeccaMo

Thank you so much. Where can I find the Tetracycline?


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## rabbitpatch

RebeccaMo said:


> Thank you so much. Where can I find the Tetracycline?


TSC sells it in powder form. It comes in a pouch, near the powdered electrolytes and non-refrigerated antibiotics usually.


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## eggzackly

If one dies, refrigerate, not freeze, and get it to the state lab for a diagnosis. It is generally free to backyard flocks. Only then will you know what you are battling. I read somewhere there are like 186 different viruses that can make chickens sick. That doesn't even count the different bacterial infections. Not all antibiotics work on all infections. Better if you know what you are dealing with. Shooting blind with antibiotics may help, but if it is a virus, some go dormant and keep infecting new birds, or re-emerge under stress, and some can, some can't be passed through the eggs and your next generation is born carriers. Better if you know what your birds have before you dump a lot of money into them. Wish I had more reassuring things to tell you.


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## Cyngbaeld

The friend's bird probably had Marek's disease. This is a little after the fact, but you should never put any new bird with your existing flock without isolating the new one and never, ever take one that is ill.

Respiratory is not a symptom of Marek's, however, the bird that was ill may also have had some other disease that it passed along. You can try the tetracycline, it may help.


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## RebeccaMo

Thanks to all. I picked some tetracycline up today. I spent the day cleaning the coop top to bottom and side to side. Will administer the tetracycline starting in the morning. Another question....do I treat the whole flock?


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## RebeccaMo

At the time she dropped it off, it was not showing any symptoms. Lesson learned.


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## Cyngbaeld

Yes, a hard lesson. Sorry you had to learn it that way.
Treat the entire flock. Put it in the drinking water.


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## mariaricarto

It might be gapeworm also.


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## RebeccaMo

Ok, two days of antibiotics. Lets hope they start sounding better on day three. If not by day five, I may start looking for something else to treat for.


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## Suzyq2u

We recently treated for a persistent gurgling. We did antibiotics as well as worming them with valbazen in case of gape worm....something did the trick. Hang in there!


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## eggzackly

Try Tylan 50. Inject in the breast muscle once a day, 1/2-1cc for large fowl, half that for bantams. Do it for three days. You may want to inject all your birds if it is going though the flock.


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## harrisjnet

Are any of your birds showing black spots on comb and or wattles? You may be dealing with Fowl Pox.


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## Charli Papes

oregon woodsmok said:


> I'm not a vet, OK? So I'm not giving veterinary advice.
> 
> But for my own poultry, if they sound congested, they go straight onto antibiotic. Tetracycline is good for lung issues, and it is easily available and is approved for use in poultry.
> 
> Follow the directions on the packet and give a complete course of antibiotics. Don't stop early because you think they are well.


Thank you!


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## altair

Twisted neck sounds more like wry neck, a pretty common chicken ailment that's from a lack of vitamin E and selenium. The more common respiratory ailments from chickens aren't curable, so the antibiotics may help short term but they won't fix a virus or mycoplasma. Birds can get better on their own though they'll always be carriers and may relapse in times of stress. It's one of the lesser known topics of chicken-rearing I wish was more wide-spread. I hope your birds act better after a few weeks.


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