[westview]

Hi there - I'm relatively a newbie when it comes to keeping hens... I've had my original Exbatties since May last year and my newest exbattie recruits from October last. 
The problem (or I think it is?) is that Crumpet (one of my newer girls) has been gurgling in the mornings when I let her out the coop..  She seems fine otherwise.  She's eating and drinking ok, her crop does get quite full (think she's a bit greedy), I have given it bit of a massage and checked her this am and it was practically empty.  But she's still gurgling away.  There is no discharge from eyes or nose, her comb is lovely n pink, I'm not sure if she's laying as it is difficult to tell who laid which eggs.. she is a little messy in the bottom department but nothing terrible and all poos appear to be fine everywhere... she does wander off on her own a bit, but she's always seemed to do that as she's always been what appears to be bottom of the pecking order in her flock.
So am at bit of a loss really to what it may be?  Would any of you kind experienced peoples have any ideas? Could it be I need to worm my girls?
I have read on here about mycoplasma thingy.. Yikes!! should I be rushing to the vet?    

[compostqueen]

If she's eating and drinking well and her comb is pink, her behaviour normal I wouldn't be rushing to the vet. I would keep an eye on her though and maybe cut down on treats (if she gets any)  Are you giving them loads of greens?  Maybe it's too much and you could try a process of elimination to see if the dirty butt situation improves. 

I'm no expert by any means and I think someone more knowledgeable than I could give you a more detailed answer. You probably won't have to wait too long 

[helens-hens]

Hi there. I am no expert either but was wondering when you say gurgling - do you mean in a respiratory sense i.e. a rattling 'phlegmy' sound she makes when breathing? Another sign if it is respiratory could be if she occasionally holds her beak open (to get air).

[westview]

Hi there, yes it is when she breathes. She seems to be really gurgly in the mornings and then rattles when she breaths for the rest of the day. They do need worming n I do have some flubenvet so will start tomorrow. She's out in the garden now scratching around n looks a picture of health but I don't want to push my luck n ignore whatever this is...

[helens-hens]

Hi Westview. I think its worth worming them too. To start with this would rule out any possibility of gapeworm but also if you can get rid of any worm burden she may be carrying then this can only help her chances of getting over whatever this is. I would still keep an eye on the symptoms though.

Hope she gets better soon.

[westview]

Thank you Helens-hens, will do just that n keep a close eye on her 

[hillfooter]

This sounds very much like a respiratory problem.  If she has a nasal discharge and sneezes annd has an eye discharge and/ or bubbly eyes it's respiratory and MG is very likely.

If it's gapeworm she will be coughing and snicking her head to clear an obstruction and will have breathing difficulty but otherwise might appear fine.

If it's respiratory the only treatment is a/bs from the vet but the underliying condition is chronic and even if she appears to get better she will be a carrier and a new infection can break out at any time of stress.

I think if you can't pin it down a trip to the vet will be best.
HF

[westview]

Hi there Hillfooter, change of chicken this afternoon! I went to put the ladies away and crumpet was having none of it... She wouldn't even be tempted by corn which is unheard of for her. In the end I managed to chase/herd her back in to her run.... All very unlike her? When I went up a little later to shut them all in I could hear her before I got anywhere near the run....... She looks like she's really struggling to breath.
There is still no discharge of any sort from anywhere and I've felt her under carriage for sign of egg being stuck etc and nothing??
I've called the vet and taking her thursday afternoon as thats when they have a vet that is more experienced with hens.....  For am area full of farming community you'd of thought there would be a chicken vet around but not for over 20 miles...   
So will have to make do with local and hope she can last!

[hillfooter]

Hi there Hillfooter, change of chicken this afternoon! I went to put the ladies away and crumpet was having none of it... She wouldn't even be tempted by corn which is unheard of for her. In the end I managed to chase/herd her back in to her run.... All very unlike her? When I went up a little later to shut them all in I could hear her before I got anywhere near the run....... She looks like she's really struggling to breath.
There is still no discharge of any sort from anywhere and I've felt her under carriage for sign of egg being stuck etc and nothing??
I've called the vet and taking her thursday afternoon as thats when they have a vet that is more experienced with hens.....  For am area full of farming community you'd of thought there would be a chicken vet around but not for over 20 miles...   
So will have to make do with local and hope she can last!

Well since you can't see the vet till Thursday and she seems to be getting worse and CRD is not certain I'd try the wormer asap as at least if it's gapeworm it should start to respond within a couple of days if you have Flubenvet wormer to hand.  Might as well try something as she seems to be getting worse.

The old fashioned remedy (to relieve the symptoms) which I've not tried is to try and dislodge the gapeworms using a feather down their throats but its a bit desperate as you need to get into the air passage without causing any damage.  I wouldn't attempt this except in an emergency and you should be sure it's gape worm that's causing the problem which from your description I'm not confident of.  Have you attempted to see if there's any signs of worms in her throat?

HF

[westview]

Thank you Hillfooter - I was so worried about her last night I was dreading this morning. Really thought she might not make the night!
But yet again - a completely different chicken this morning??  She was first out the coop, running to the food as usual...  She is still gurgling slightly but still no sign of any discharge.  I must admit I've not tried to look for any signs of worms down her throat/crop as don't want to cause anymore distress to her and make her worse.
I did find a soft egg broken up in the coop this morning though, so I assume it's from her.. 
I started the worming today with flubenvet and adding oyster shell n grit to their food so hoping this will all help her.  My other ladies are showing no signs of gurgling or any illness.
I will be taking her to the vet midday tomorrow for a good MOT...
Thinking about it she is definitely better in the mornings so I wonder if it is something to do with the crop as it does get really full and that's when she makes most noise?
Will let you know as soon as I do with the vets prognosis....
thank you again

[helens-hens]

Hi Westview, good to hear that she has regained her appetite. Will keep fingers crossed for the vets visit tomorrow, let us know how she gets on.

[westview]

Hi there - here's an update on Crumpet's condition. 
Went to the vet yesterday who I must say didn't seem very interested at all and it was like getting infomation out of a stone!  Anyway, that aside...
He agreed with me that worming was a sensible thing to do and that to cover all basis he issued me with a course of antibiotics incase there was a respiratory infection going on.
I did get him to check her abdomen for any signs of swelling (I'm useless at that sort of thing!) but he reassured me there was no sign of egg peritonitus.
She seemed ok this morning, a little gurgle again but tonight is only her 2nd lot of antibiotics.....
Wish me luck as the OH has now gone away for work so will be administering myself... YIKES!   :blink:

[helens-hens]

Hi Westview. Shame about the attitude of the vet - is it one which deals with birds and/or poultry? Best of luch with the ABs- how do you have to administer them?

Hope crumpet continues to get better.

[westview]

Hi Helen - I've got to administer the antibiotics via syringe...  I tried last nite when I got home from work.  I thought she'd be nice n submissive as it'll be her bedtime.  How wrong I was!  She was doing an Irish folk dance of some description whilst I had hold of her head. I gave up in the end and my neighbour is coming round tonight to hold her for me.  I must say she is a feisty girl - she actually pecked the vet! 

[compostqueen]

Yes, it's quite a game administering the drops down their beaks. They stretch their necks making it really difficult to get the job done    Little devils

Still, she sounds feisty so hopefully it's a good sign