2 EE's sitting in coup, but what are they doing?

[annep]

Here's a link to my montage..I dont know of any other way to create a vid that people can see..So, can you tell me what they are doing with their mouth and neck?? I have never seen chickens do this before. They are just at 1 year old. Thanks

http://www.onetruemedia.com/shared?...kin_id=701&utm_source=otm&utm_medium=text_url

 

[chicmom]

I think they're just relaxing, enjoying the sunny spot they're setting in. It could be simple yawning. They don't look distressed at all.

 

[annep]

They are out now and acting normal, but they did this over and over again, sort of like they were going to throw up..It went on for atleast 10 minutes..I just caught the tail end of it on the vid.

 

[axion_lotus]

Looks like gapeworm to me. Here's an article I found that might help you. (Courtesy of PoultryKeeper.com)

"The Gape Worm also called Syngamus Trachea mainly affects chickens, turkeys and game birds, especially pheasants but can affect other wild birds as well which makes eradication difficult. Infestation offen occurs when there are wild pheasants close to your birds. Gapeworm infestation can occur either directly by birds eating eggs that have been swallowed or coughed up by infested birds, or indirectly by intermediate hosts such as earthworms or snails. Young birds up to 8 weeks of age are particularly susceptible to gape worm. Gapeworms normally live in the trachea (windpipe) but are also found in the bronchi and lungs.

Typically, eggs are picked up from the ground or intermediate hosts such as worms or snails. The eggs hatch and the larvae penetrate the intestine walls and move to the lungs and bronchi. It is here they go through a larval molt, before traveling up to the trachea. Male and female gapeworms attach to one another once they arrive here. This process takes around 7 days. Gapeworms lay eggs that get coughed up onto the ground or swallowed and passed out in the feces.

Signs and Symptoms

Infestation causes respiratory distress. Gasping for breath or 'gaping' as it is known is the biggest sign of gape worm. Shaking of the head and neck stretching are common. When birds are held, gurgling or a 'tracheal rattle' can often be heard. This can often be confused with respiratory infection, if in doubt, check for other signs of respiratory disease. If a heavy infestation occurs, death by suffocation will occur. Fully grown gape worms are 'Y' shaped and vary in size between 1 and 2cm long.

Chickens are particularly prone to respiratory diseases so it is important to ensuring you have a good worming schedule to eliminate the possibility of a respiratory problem being confused with a gape worm infestation. Gurgling noises that come from the throat of the bird can be caused by gapeworm and can be confused with a respiratory problem.

As with all internal parasites, there are many treatments that will kill these worms, but rotating the grazing area will help to stop birds becoming re-infected."

I think your best bet would be to administer a full-spectrum wormer for your birds. That should help. Good luck with your feathered ladies. I hope they feel better soon.

 

[axion_lotus]

Looks like gapeworm to me. Here's an article I found that might help you. (Courtesy of PoultryKeeper.com)

"The Gape Worm also called Syngamus Trachea mainly affects chickens, turkeys and game birds, especially pheasants but can affect other wild birds as well which makes eradication difficult. Infestation offen occurs when there are wild pheasants close to your birds. Gapeworm infestation can occur either directly by birds eating eggs that have been swallowed or coughed up by infested birds, or indirectly by intermediate hosts such as earthworms or snails. Young birds up to 8 weeks of age are particularly susceptible to gape worm. Gapeworms normally live in the trachea (windpipe) but are also found in the bronchi and lungs.

Typically, eggs are picked up from the ground or intermediate hosts such as worms or snails. The eggs hatch and the larvae penetrate the intestine walls and move to the lungs and bronchi. It is here they go through a larval molt, before traveling up to the trachea. Male and female gapeworms attach to one another once they arrive here. This process takes around 7 days. Gapeworms lay eggs that get coughed up onto the ground or swallowed and passed out in the feces.

Signs and Symptoms

Infestation causes respiratory distress. Gasping for breath or 'gaping' as it is known is the biggest sign of gape worm. Shaking of the head and neck stretching are common. When birds are held, gurgling or a 'tracheal rattle' can often be heard. This can often be confused with respiratory infection, if in doubt, check for other signs of respiratory disease. If a heavy infestation occurs, death by suffocation will occur. Fully grown gape worms are 'Y' shaped and vary in size between 1 and 2cm long.

Chickens are particularly prone to respiratory diseases so it is important to ensuring you have a good worming schedule to eliminate the possibility of a respiratory problem being confused with a gape worm infestation. Gurgling noises that come from the throat of the bird can be caused by gapeworm and can be confused with a respiratory problem.

As with all internal parasites, there are many treatments that will kill these worms, but rotating the grazing area will help to stop birds becoming re-infected."

I think your best bet would be to administer a full-spectrum wormer for your birds. That should help. Good luck with your feathered ladies. I hope they feel better soon.

 

[annep]

So weird..Have never seen them do it, and they haven't done it since...no head shaking or anything..would it be ok to worm just in case?

 

[azygous]

Mine do that occasionally. They're just settling the food in their crops. I wouldn't run out and worm them on this scant evidence.

 

[annep]

Thanks again guys and gals! They still havent done it since, so I am just not going to worry about it! I've never seen one do it before either!

 

[poodlepill]

I've seen my chickens do this too, its very comon even my little chicks do this.

 

[7&8]

Hey. My chickens "yawn," too. I read somewhere that it's their way of adjusting the food in their crop. Personally, I would be hesitant to worm these birds based on their "yawning" behavior. Read up on symptoms of internal parasites. Your local vet might be willing to do a fecal exam for parasites.

Your birds look very happy in their sunbeam. If it were me, and I was fluffed up on a cosy bit of bedding in a sunbeam, I would be yawning, too.