2 yr old rooster has gone psycho

[6of6chicks]

Scratch the post where I thought he was well, ..he is not! I'm almost certain now that he has gapeworm. I saw him doing that yawn thing again, and when I picked him up he was gasping, stretching his throat, and I heard a gurgling sound...almost a sound like something going down the drain.
I've never noticed any kind of respiratory distress before, and he is acting fine again, but he is obviously NOT.
Of course, AGAIN it is Sunday, and I can't get any meds. From what I've just read here, I need to get Levamisole. I doubt my feed store even has this, so I'm going to order it. I just hope it isn't too late. Who knows how long he's had this, but it's been at least a week. :-(

Seems this nightmare just won't end. Someone above mentioned gapeworm too.. I wish I'd looked into it sooner, but other people explained the yawning away and he did seem so much better at that point!
I'm a terrible chicken mom. omg.. and here I'd thought raising chickens would be easy..
He is in the yard crowing right now, and acting fine. What the hell? I'm hoping that this means I have enough time to get the medicine.

You are NOT a terrible chicken mom!! And believe me - these little feather butts are NOT easy!!

Puppy training is a breeze compared to chickens. I spent MONTHS researching how to build a chicken coop (and run!), a month building it, and when I was done I stood back and said, "Ta-Da! Look at my coop!! How awesome am I???" Ummm....yeah. I've since spent every weekend ripping bits out, re-doing others, fixing this, cursing at that... You'd think all that googling and researching would have made me an expert by now. Yeah, right! I still get on here every day and beg people to tell me how to fix the bits I got wrong!

I haven't even BEGUN to look at illnesses, injuries, or basic chicken health! I'm just holding my breath and hoping all goes well long enough for me to read up on all THAT stuff!! Whew!

Don't beat yourself up. Even "experts" miss things and get things wrong. Perfect example? My area of "expertise" is with dogs (although I'm not an expert - just experienced). I've lived with, trained, and worked with dogs for two decades - successfully I might add. And yet, last month I ended up forking over $1200 for obstruction surgery on my 1 1/2 year old lab. Totally preventable, yet all it took was one quick mouthful of mulch and one thing led to another. And it took me TWO DAYS to figure out that's what the problem was. By the time they opened her up we're pretty sure she had already passed the mulch. I got LUCKY. Big time lucky. I dismissed the signs as a "bug," and I'm supposed to know what I'm doing!

Animals are tough. We learn as we go. You cared enough to reach out for help, and that makes you a better chicken mommy than all the other folks who might have just said, "Eh, whatever. It's just a chicken." (Not that ANY BYC folks are like that, of course!).

Good luck with your roo. I hope he gets better!

 

[jajeanpierre]

If it is gape , I would forget the levamisole and go straight to valbazen . I'm pretty sure @ Dawg 53 recommends worming them for 5 consecutive days.

http://www.wholesalekennel.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=29

His symptoms are also similar to a blocked crop. Have you felt the crop?

 

[subhanalah]

You should be able to see the gapeworm, if it is a gape worm, right?
You can also use Ivermectin against gapworms, I thought? It would be easier for me to find locally then valbazen. Don't you have to order that online?

 

[Ganjaroo]

Quote: Aghh.. I already ordered Levasole/Tramisole. I'm going to go to the feedstore tmrw, and see if they have the Valbazan,..but I doubt that they do. This is what I get for keeping chickens in the city. There isn't another chicken supply store for 60 miles, ..nor a vet who will see him.

 

[Fancychooklady]

http://parasitipedia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2653&Itemid=2942

Hang on , hold your horses. According to this article there are several wormers that are affective against gape. Albendazole , fenbendazole , lavemasol and ivermectin . I would still PM @Dawg53 for dosage advice.

 

[Ganjaroo]

You should be able to see the gapeworm, if it is a gape worm, right?
You can also use Ivermectin against gapworms, I thought? It would be easier for me to find locally then valbazen. Don't you have to order that online?

I saw no worm, and his tongue was sticking while he was doing this gaping thing.

Yes, I saw that about the Ivermectin, but the majority of the chicken people say the Levasole is the fastest acting and best choice. Idk. What do I know? Obviously not nearly enough! I now have most every med available for chicken ailments and diseases.. except apparently, .. for the one I actually need.

And AGAIN, he was acting fine before, and now ever since this last episode! Does this happen if a bird has gapeworm??

 

[Ganjaroo]

http://parasitipedia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2653&Itemid=2942

Hang on , hold your horses. According to this article there are several wormers that are affective against gape. Albendazole , fenbendazole , lavemasol and ivermectin . I would still PM @Dawg53 for dosage advice.

Yes, I saw that.. and was told multiple times that levasole was the best. Thanks, I will PM Dawg..

 

[Fancychooklady]

If you heard a gurgling noise he may have an upper respiratory infection. I would be inclined to start him on those antibiotics you've been holding off on.

 

[Ganjaroo]

If you heard a gurgling noise he may have an upper respiratory infection. I would be inclined to start him on those antibiotics you've been holding off on.

I don't know. There is no discharge from the eyes, nose or mouth, and I have not seen any breathing issues from any of them, ..until this incident today with the rooster.

Yes, I have checked the crop, and it seems fine as far as I tell.

Everything I read about gapeworm, my roo has every symptom.

Although dawg just told me if it was gape, they'd most likely be dead by now.
SIGH.. Idk what to do next. I guess I will treat them for gape, ..then the antis. ..and just hope they live long enough for these meds to work.

Sorry for all of the drama, folks. I truly am. This is wearing me thin, ..and I'm sure it's not doing much for all of you either.

 

[lularat]

I admire you for wanting to help your roo and doing what ever is necessary. You have a kind and caring heart...and for that you do not need to be sorry. I would go ahead and start the antibiotics and then worm him later. I have no idea if you can do both meds at the same time or do one and wait to do the other. I am sure someone will chime in that knows. I do use Valbazen to worm my flock. Hope your roo starts to feel better soon. I know it is very frustrating when you are not sure what is wrong, much less how to treat him.