Chicks gasping and coughing

[Mrcox]

hello, hoping someone has some advice.
I have 1 week old chicks and they randomly cough, stretch their necks and open their mouths, and shake their heads into the ground. I know gapeworm this early is rare but it sure sounds like it.
Any other ideas on what it could be and how to treat? So worried for them and it’s spreading
For reference, they’re in a brooder indoors with straw bedding and crumbles. Never been outside yet.

 

[Aunt Angus]

hello, hoping someone has some advice.
I have 1 week old chicks and they randomly cough, stretch their necks and open their mouths, and shake their heads into the ground. I know gapeworm this early is rare but it sure sounds like it.
Any other ideas on what it could be and how to treat? So worried for them and it’s spreading
For reference, they’re in a brooder indoors with straw bedding and crumbles. Never been outside yet.

Sounds like they may be adjusting their crops. You might try giving them grit, if those are the only symptoms.

Otherwise, are they pooping ok? Are they active? Eating? Drinking?

 

[Mrcox]

Sounds like they may be adjusting their crops. You might try giving them grit, if those are the only symptoms.

Otherwise, are they pooping ok? Are they active? Eating? Drinking?

They’re very active and eating/pooping like crazy. What about the little sneeze/coughs? Is this normal? And scratching their heads

 

[Aunt Angus]

They’re very active and eating/pooping like crazy. What about the little sneeze/coughs? Is this normal? And scratching their heads

Do they gave nasal discharge or foamy eyes?

The rest of those symptoms are similar to what chickens do when they're adjusting their crops or have something lodged in their nares (nostrils). So, no, not normal, but in the absence of other signs, not illness-related. That's why I suggested maybe trying grit. They may have eaten pine shavings or the crumble us too large for them. But I could be wrong. We'll see what others say.

 

[Aunt Angus]

If you're super concerned, you can treat them with a wormer like Valbazen. Here's some info:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/gapeworms

They are very young for gapeworm, but weird things happen all the time. Have they even been outside yet? Wondering how they would have contracted it.

 

[Mrcox]

If you're super concerned, you can treat them with a wormer like Valbazen. Here's some info:
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/gapeworms

They are very young for gapeworm, but weird things happen all the time. Have they even been outside yet? Wondering how they would have contracted it.

They haven’t been outside yet. But yes very strange. I’m wondering if using straw instead of pine is bothering them

 

[Aunt Angus]

They haven’t been outside yet. But yes very strange. I’m wondering if using straw instead of pine is bothering them

They might be eating the bedding, and straw can impact their crops.

 

[Mrcox]

They might be eating the bedding, and straw can impact their crops.

Yikes! I feel awful. I’ll switch to pine tonight. Do you think grit will move it through or is there something I should do to help them?

 

[Aunt Angus]

Yikes! I feel awful. I’ll switch to pine tonight. Do you think grit will move it through or is there something I should do to help them?

I'm not even sure that's what's happening, but it's worth a shot. If not, you might need to help them by massaging their little crops VERY carefully... ever so slightly.... Gapeworm just seems so unlikely given that they haven't been exposed to the soil or infected droppings.

Can you post a video? You'll have to upload it to YouTube or done other video service and then posting the link.

 

[Mrcox]

I'm not even sure that's what's happening, but it's worth a shot. If not, you might need to help them by massaging their little crops VERY carefully... ever so slightly.... Gapeworm just seems so unlikely given that they haven't been exposed to the soil or infected droppings.

Can you post a video? You'll have to upload it to YouTube or done other video service and then posting the link.

I added more grit and haven’t seen any gaping for hours now. I also got rid of the straw. Hoping for a better day tomorrow!