Best treatment for gapeworm?

[dawg53]

I may have a hen with gapeworm and I was wandering if ivermectin would do the trick

Since gapeworms are rare in chickens, I recommend that you submit a fecal sample to a vet for testing. Or you can PM Sue Gremlin who is a BYC member and she will test the sample for free.

 

[casportpony]

I may have a hen with gapeworm and I was wandering if ivermectin would do the trick

No, best treatment is Valbazen three days in a row or Safeguard five days in a row.

 

[Crazytexanchickenlady]

My chicken is stretching her neck when she swallows and I massage her neck and it goes down but it comes back after a couple of days I don’t know what’s wrong with her if she’s got Gapeworm or if it’s just food.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

My chicken is stretching her neck when she swallows and I massage her neck and it goes down but it comes back after a couple of days I don’t know what’s wrong with her if she’s got Gapeworm or if it’s just food.

Hi @Crazytexanchickenlady Welcome To BYC

If you have photos of your chicken or a video of her actions, that would be good
(for video, upload to youtube, then provide us a link)
How old is she?
What type of food/treats do you feed?
Do your chickens have access to a source of grit (crushed granite)?
If your chicken is of laying age, when was the last time she laid an egg?

Stretching the neck, swallowing - and you being able to massage it to "fix it" for a couple of days sounds like she has a crop problem instead of Gapeworm. With Gapeworm your chicken would be "gaping" all the time, coughing and possibly be fretful in her actions because of difficulty breathing.

Feel her crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks and let us know what that feels like - hard, soft, full, empty, doughy, sour smelling, etc.
While you are examining her take a look inside her beak for any plaques, canker, yellow or white cheesy looking material.

Here's a couple of good articles about crop issues. Look forward to more information, your report on her crop and your photos/video.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

 

[Crazytexanchickenlady]

Hi @Crazytexanchickenlady Welcome To BYC

If you have photos of your chicken or a video of her actions, that would be good
(for video, upload to youtube, then provide us a link)
How old is she?
What type of food/treats do you feed?
Do your chickens have access to a source of grit (crushed granite)?
If your chicken is of laying age, when was the last time she laid an egg?

Stretching the neck, swallowing - and you being able to massage it to "fix it" for a couple of days sounds like she has a crop problem instead of Gapeworm. With Gapeworm your chicken would be "gaping" all the time, coughing and possibly be fretful in her actions because of difficulty breathing.

Feel her crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks and let us know what that feels like - hard, soft, full, empty, doughy, sour smelling, etc.
While you are examining her take a look inside her beak for any plaques, canker, yellow or white cheesy looking material.

Here's a couple of good articles about crop issues. Look forward to more information, your report on her crop and your photos/video.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

Okay so I felt her crop and it feels normal and her beak is clean.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hi @Crazytexanchickenlady Welcome To BYC

If you have photos of your chicken or a video of her actions, that would be good
(for video, upload to youtube, then provide us a link)
How old is she?
What type of food/treats do you feed?
Do your chickens have access to a source of grit (crushed granite)?
If your chicken is of laying age, when was the last time she laid an egg?

Stretching the neck, swallowing - and you being able to massage it to "fix it" for a couple of days sounds like she has a crop problem instead of Gapeworm. With Gapeworm your chicken would be "gaping" all the time, coughing and possibly be fretful in her actions because of difficulty breathing.

Feel her crop first thing in the morning before she eats/drinks and let us know what that feels like - hard, soft, full, empty, doughy, sour smelling, etc.
While you are examining her take a look inside her beak for any plaques, canker, yellow or white cheesy looking material.

Here's a couple of good articles about crop issues. Look forward to more information, your report on her crop and your photos/video.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/
http://www.backyardchickens.com/a/impacted-slow-and-sour-crops-prevention-and-treatments

Okay so I felt her crop and it feels normal and her beak is clean.

She's just a baby
I would re-check the crop first thing in the morning before she has had anything to eat/drink.

Stretching the neck can be adjusting the crop. Make sure the chicks have access to grit, them helps them process food and whatever else they eat

 

[Crazytexanchickenlady]

She's just a baby
I would re-check the crop first thing in the morning before she has had anything to eat/drink.

Stretching the neck can be adjusting the crop. Make sure the chicks have access to grit, them helps them process food and whatever else they eat

Well that’s a kinda old pic from a month ago but okay I’m glad my chick is gonna be okay thank you so much for the advice

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Well that’s a kinda old pic from a month ago but okay I’m glad my chick is gonna be okay thank you so much for the advice

LOL Current pictures are always best.
If she continues to "gape" or stretch her neck, you need to be investigating. Check her crop for several mornings in a row to make sure it's empty. Watch to see that she is eating/drinking well and has a source of grit.

If the stretching of the neck is continuous or she has other symptoms (coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, mucous, wheezing, lethargy, etc.) then you should be concerned.

 

[Crazytexanchickenlady]

LOL Current pictures are always best.
If she continues to "gape" or stretch her neck, you need to be investigating. Check her crop for several mornings in a row to make sure it's empty. Watch to see that she is eating/drinking well and has a source of grit.

If the stretching of the neck is continuous or she has other symptoms (coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, mucous, wheezing, lethargy, etc.) then you should be concerned.

I know but it’s hard to get a pic of them all together lol but I will keep an eye on her thank you so much

 

[Chickenbrainiac]

The symptoms of Syngamus trachea are obvious from its Latin name (trachea=throat) and its common name, gapeworm. The first sign is a bird that is breathing with its mouth open (gaping), usually with its neck extended upward as it literally gasps for breath, often making a hissing sound.

Other symptoms: coughing, fast head-shaking (trying to clear its throat), loss of appetite, loss of condition, weakness, emaciation, grunting due to difficulty breathing.

Young birds get weak and deteriorate very quickly if badly affected. Adult birds tend to show fewer obvious signs, and some may show no signs at all.

Causes of death: suffocation, dehydration/starvation.

Necropsy: long, bright-red worms, shaped like a Y, 5mm-20mm long, clumped in the trachea.

Treatment: Flubenol, a powdered worming product (available online), or Aviverm (large birds), a specialist liquid bird wormer (available from vet clinics, pet stores, and online).

Ongoing treatment: gapeworm is incredibly hardy, and will remain viable in the soil for more than four years, infecting and reinfecting a flock. They are particularly dangerous to young birds, so rotation of pens is important. Better yet, if you can, quarantine all young birds from adults as a good preventative measure. Rotary hoeing of soil and control of fly, snail and slug populations can also help prevent reinfection.