Could it be gapeworms???? **New post about listless laying pullet**

[ZooMummzy]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=88445

This is the original thread that I posted yesterday about my listless, not eating, yellow pooping, head shaking 6 month old laying ullet. After looking into wormers on the advice given in this thread, and reading about the different worms, I came across gapeworms and it makes total sense. They come from earthworms and are common in chickens who live in dirt (like mine), they cause respiratory symptoms since the worms lodge in the chicken's throat. They also cause the chicken to shake their head a lot in order to try and dislodge the worms.

Has anyone every encountered this? Did the chicken survive after being treated?

 

[chickenlady]

If caught soon enough, yes, the chicken will survive. They can be treated with Ivermectin. It works extremely quick.

 

[speckledhen]

It's possible, however, gapeworm isn't all that common. I often see birds shake their heads a little. With gapeworm, they usually cough and gag, too. Seems like you should probably just go ahead and worm her and see if she improves.

 

[ZooMummzy]

Ok that is good news. I think, at least I hope, I have caught it soon enough. At the most, it has only been 3 days since I noticed anything strange.

Yes, that is what I'm doing. I'm also going to do the natural buttermilk and pumpkin seeds. It can't hurt them. I couldn't find poultry worm meds in town (very frustrating!!!) so my vet made up some ivermectin for me with the correct dosage (I hope!) for my girls. I gave Rosalie her dose and will catch the others throughout the day and dose them. So much for eggs for a while

We were just getting used to them too!

 

[speckledhen]

Let us know how she does. Maybe that will do it for her. I know how frustrating it is when you cant find meds for them-I only know of one place anywhere here that carries Corid and it's $20/bottle.

 

[ZooMummzy]

Quote:
I certainly will

Thank you for all your input and help.

As frustrated as I was running from town to town here, I would have paid pretty much anything for poultry wormer! I'm going to be ordering some off the web this next week so I have it on hand. I did pick up some sulfmet (?) just in case. I am holding off using it because I don't know if it is good for them to be so medicated and two, all the others are acting just fine. They LOVE the pumpkin seeds and buttermilk. Couldn't get Rosalie to try any of it

She is just sitting in the dirt, alert, but quiet.