Chicks with gapeworm?

[BirdaMay]

I've seen my chicks at 3.5 weeks old stretch their necks up and opening their mouths, looking like they were yawning. I thought maybe it was roosters practicing crowing early, but there was no sound. I didn't think of it as a symptom of gapeworm at the time. They had never been exposed to the outside grass yet, so can chicks get gapeworms from inside the mother when the eggs are formed like some other worms, or are they only susceptible picking them up outside?

Just trying to get educated and good at early detection. I'm aware they are rare, but Murphy and his bleeping Law always seem to hunt me down. Curious to know how they get it, and what the other symptoms are in addition to the yawning-like gaspy gesture. I read on a web site that ivermectin is effective, and I have a horse tube of it, which I diluted down for my cats, so if mine have it, I could use that as long as I got the dilution rate.

Thanks!

 

[Ravynscroft]

That yawning motion usually is just them adjusting their crop or working food down... if there's no other symptoms, then no worries... chick feed is rather dry... try soaking it first and see if they still do it if it worries you...