Declining 3 y/o cream legbar -- gape or mycoplasma?

[Wyorp Rock]

Gisele had slightly more energy tonight free ranging. She had some soft pear and then a good amount of mealworms. She ate her 2nd helping so quickly that she was struggling to breathe. She did a few violent head shakes and then some of her neck stretching. She regained her composure a bit and then I massaged her crop and she finished off the last bit of worms remaining. Then she went up to bed on her own.

What's the best way to treat for sourcrop? Some kind of antifungal?

Yes, an antifungal
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

I think I would treat her for Sour Crop. If the vet suspected EYP, then that could be an underlying issue that is causing the crop symptom.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

 

[Noreaster Egger]

Do you think she could have eaten something she can’t break down or digest?

I can obviously never know for sure, but I would lean toward no. She's fairly picky with what she eats. Her diet is basically her wet mash feed, mealies, and some grass in the yard. I don't give them cut grass...they need to pick it off theirselves. There's no objects in the run and she doesn't get into naughty things either.

 

[FoxManor]

Good, good. I was just wondering because I know they tend to find buried “treasure” and my picky eaters will turn up their beaks at organic wholesome feed but feast on styrofoam... stupid hens, lol. But I’ve seen my hens do that stretch yawn and sneeze when I’ve fed dry mash and they sorta chocked or after eating a huge grasshopper. And you said the vet thought there could be a mass. I was wondering if the mass was something she shouldn’t have eaten and she’s trying to readjust and push it through and it’s just not able to move through. Maybe it’s shifting a bit in her and she feels better until it changes positions. I was also thinking if something was blocking her or partially blocking her maybe it’s preventing the dead worms from coming out at a normal pace?

 

[Noreaster Egger]

I hate when people don't update their posts...good or bad outcome...so here's a 10 day update.

She seems like a brand new chicken over the past week. There's been little to no yawning and no neck stretching. She's eating normally and has a lot more energy when out free ranging. In fact, she may have the highest energy out of all of them right now considering the majority of them are starting to molt. I'm excited, but I don't want to get too confident since I know how these things can quickly swing back the other way. I think I won't know for sure until the beginning of 2021 when she would normally start laying again.

I'm still noticing a couple of roundworms on the poop board here and there (from other chickens). What's the recommended dose for roundworms using the goat wormer in water? I read 3cc (mL) per gallon on one site and 5cc (mL)/gal on another. The only problem is they're in the middle of a molt and I know you're supposed to refrain from deworming during that time. Should I hold off?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I hate when people don't update their posts...good or bad outcome...so here's a 10 day update.

She seems like a brand new chicken over the past week. There's been little to no yawning and no neck stretching. She's eating normally and has a lot more energy when out free ranging. In fact, she may have the highest energy out of all of them right now considering the majority of them are starting to molt. I'm excited, but I don't want to get too confident since I know how these things can quickly swing back the other way. I think I won't know for sure until the beginning of 2021 when she would normally start laying again.

I'm still noticing a couple of roundworms on the poop board here and there (from other chickens). What's the recommended dose for roundworms using the goat wormer in water? I read 3cc (mL) per gallon on one site and 5cc (mL)/gal on another. The only problem is they're in the middle of a molt and I know you're supposed to refrain from deworming during that time. Should I hold off?

Glad she is doing better!

Safeguard Liquid Goat Wormer settles out of the water. Give it orally.

Dose is 0.23ml per pound of weight orally once, then repeat in 10 days to treat Roundworms Only.

If you want to treat other worms including Roundworms, but not Tapeworms give Fenbendazole at 0.23ml per pound of weight orally once a day for 5 days in a row.

Syringe the medication into the birds early in the morning before they have had anything to eat.

Fenbendazole is know to cause Fret Marks on feathers when birds are in molt, so...personally I would use Valbazen if birds are molting. However, if there is a heavy worm load and the worms are causing health problems in the birds, then if Fenbendazole was the only thing I had, then I would go ahead and treat them - Just my 2¢