Can my 2wk old chick have gapeworms?

[YahKheena]

We got six red sex-link chicks ranging in the age of 1-2 weeks old. We've had our chicks one week. The first night we had them I noticed the youngest chick was opening her mouth as she slept... kinda like drink water, you know lifting her head a bit. She did this only while she slept. But today I noticed that she looks worst, she looks as if she is struggling to breath, she still is drink and eating not as much though. I'm so worried. I read several article on gapeworm and I'm wondering, could she have gw? I mean how would she have contracted them? We have another chick that is wheezing and sneezing, I understand this could be a respiratory infection, so I picked up some antibiotics. Both chicks symptoms are so different... I hope the younger one hangs on till I can get to TS tomorrow and pick up the meds she needs. I'm afraid to try and swab her throat to see if she has worms...My question is since she has been showing these signs for a week how bad off could she be if she had the gw?

 

[candyNflowers]

i am no expert but from what i have seen people say gapeworm kills quick. more than likely something else esp if you suspect other respitory virus going on.

 

[dawg53]

Not gapeworm. Wheezing and sneezing, opening mouth while sleeping, struggling to breathe...it's a respiratory or fungal problem, maybe an environmental issue such as soiled bedding causing ammonia fumes, feed dust.pollen.

 

[YahKheena]

Thanks for helping. I keep their brooder clean, it must be respiratory. I started them on antibiotics yesterday, how long before I begin seeing a difference, that is if infection is the problem?