Gasping for air only while lying down and being held!

[MotherhenXOXO]

Safegaurd? Is that like Frontline Plus? Do I put it on the back of their necks and if so, how much? If I do this will I need to do it a second time or one time and done? I get so scared doing this kind of stuff especially when the product isn't made for chickens.You would think there was something out there labeled for chickens that could be given orally or just the drop thing like for dogs/cats. Plus my chickens are just a little over a pound and my sick Lilybug could possibly weigh less then a pound. I don't want to overdose them or make them sick.Thank you for your help.

 

[SkywheelerChick]

Safeguard is marketed as a goat dewormer, and is a white liquid that you feed orally. Myself and a lot of others use it as a chicken dewormer. You should be able to find it at your local farm store, like Tractor Supply. Also get a needless syringe to help you measure out 3ml/gal added to water, as their only water source. I've never had any negative reactions with my chickens, I've probably done it 4 or 5 times so far. After a couple days, I replace it with regular water. I also add Braggs apple cider vinegar to my regular water, 1 T per gallon.

Ivermectin is marketed as a horse dewormer, as an oral paste or gel, and comes in its own syringe so you can dose it out easily. Just a small pea size amount works, and that is usually the first step I take for a specific chicken, then put everyone on Safeguard.

I would not keep your chicken on a heating pad. Their body temp is usually much higher than ours, and she could be overheating which is making her weak. Also, try feeding active yogurt, or probiotic capsules. If you need her to gain weight, I have fed mine scrambled egg, tofu or shredded cheese.

 

[SkywheelerChick]

Also feel her crop. It should be hard and compact. If it is soft and squishy, she could have a sour crop, which is a yeast infection. It makes their crop swell with liquid and they will not eat very much, making them slowly starve. You may also see them moving their head jerkily to one side trying to use their muscles to get their crop to shift. I have used a small clove of peeled garlic if I catch it early, forced right down their gullet. For persistent sour crop, I have resorted to a Monistat 3 suppository, cut in half and fed orally to kill the yeast infection. A couple days of that usually cures it.

 

[MotherhenXOXO]

How much SafeGuard would I give a 1 pound hen orally. I will make a trip to TSC and get some. Right now I have pour on ivermectin. Should I switch to paste? I thought maybe she had sour crop but there is no odor and no head twitching. Her crop doesn't feel squishy, it doesn't seem full like it did before she got sick and since she is with me almost all the time I know she is not eating much and can simply see that she is getting thin. I will take the heating pad away. I had available to her because I am not sure if she had or has a fever. I know you can tell by feeling under their wings but I can't tell. Since you say the heating pad is not a good idea, I will definitely take it away. Thank you kindly.

 

[SkywheelerChick]

Not sure how much Safeguard orally, I've only used in their water. Pour on Ivermectin should be okay as well, but I thought it was more meant for external parasites.

 

[SkywheelerChick]

The other thing to note is that they will pant when they are hot, which is different than taking big gasps of air. During the wintertime, my chickens will hop up on my lap for warmth, but when the temps go up, every time I hold them now for too long, they pant because they are hot. It's a way to dissipate heat since they don't sweat. You will notice them pant more when they are laying down, since the heat is trapped under them and they cant use their legs as a way to rid the heat.

 

[MotherhenXOXO]

I thought of that but when she gasps her throat DOES NOT expand in and out and she doesn't spread her wings like chickens do when hot. Plus she does it when I pick her up....almost instantly. I am so stressed with this. I have no idea what is wrong. She did get xrays on January 30th and everything was fine but she has worsened since then and I am broke. I'm gonna treat her for gapeworm but am scared because I don't know the proper dosage since she barely weighs a pound and is already weak and sick. We keep putting DE Earth in their food but I don't know if it would have the same effect since I also add water to it so she gets water in her.She is such a strong little girl to be hanging on for this long.

 

[copper2]

Smell her breath

 

[MotherhenXOXO]

I've smelled it numerous times thinking sour crop but there is no odor! SO BAFFLED!!

 

[casportpony]

I thought of that but when she gasps her throat DOES NOT expand in and out and she doesn't spread her wings like chickens do when hot. Plus she does it when I pick her up....almost instantly. I am so stressed with this. I have no idea what is wrong. She did get xrays on January 30th and everything was fine but she has worsened since then and I am broke. I'm gonna treat her for gapeworm but am scared because I don't know the proper dosage since she barely weighs a pound and is already weak and sick. We keep putting DE Earth in their food but I don't know if it would have the same effect since I also add water to it so she gets water in her.She is such a strong little girl to be hanging on for this long.

Call you vet and ask if it's okay to worm her orally with Safeguard liquid for goats at 50 mg/kg for five days. This dose will treat gapeworms, roundworms, cecal worms and capillary worms. Tell your vet that the Safeguard is fenbendazole 100mg/ml (same as 10% Panacur).

The dose I suggested is ~0.23 ml per pound.

-Kathy