Hi I am new to this and have a question if my chicken is sick! She is a 6 week old, supposed to be a silver laced wyandotte but now she is looking more like some sort of black and gray speckled bird (got her from a lady at a farm so can't be sure exactly)
For about a week now, she ALWAYS has her mouth open and her tongue is sort of wagging around. It is hot during the day but not too bad yet, and once it cools off she's still doing it. My other 2 chickens sort of pant when it is hottest but she does it always. I just went out there and she's sitting there with her mouth all open and just looked at me. She does close it on occasion, its not stuck open or anything, but she seems to be having trouble breathing.
She is now visibly panting, her body moving a lot when she breathes.
She is eating and drinking and her face looks normal, at least normal to me but what do I know.
I thought she was just always hot but today I mentioned it to the feed store owner when I went to get more food, and he said it might be gapeworm. I researched that and she's not shaking her head and that's a common sign of gapeworm.
Does anyone know what else could be causing my chicken to keep her mouth open all the time? Or does this sound like "the gapes"? Please help! I did post this on the disease message board but haven't gotten a response, and if I need to get her meds or something I need to know cause my feed store closes by noon tomorrow and isn't open on Sundays.
Thank you!
For about a week now, she ALWAYS has her mouth open and her tongue is sort of wagging around. It is hot during the day but not too bad yet, and once it cools off she's still doing it. My other 2 chickens sort of pant when it is hottest but she does it always. I just went out there and she's sitting there with her mouth all open and just looked at me. She does close it on occasion, its not stuck open or anything, but she seems to be having trouble breathing.
She is now visibly panting, her body moving a lot when she breathes.
She is eating and drinking and her face looks normal, at least normal to me but what do I know.
I thought she was just always hot but today I mentioned it to the feed store owner when I went to get more food, and he said it might be gapeworm. I researched that and she's not shaking her head and that's a common sign of gapeworm.
Does anyone know what else could be causing my chicken to keep her mouth open all the time? Or does this sound like "the gapes"? Please help! I did post this on the disease message board but haven't gotten a response, and if I need to get her meds or something I need to know cause my feed store closes by noon tomorrow and isn't open on Sundays.
Thank you!
