Well yesterday held so much joy for my family, we got our first egg! But now I'm awfully concerned about the flock.
I cleaned the coop this weekend and last night put in the new vinyl flooring, put the coop back together and put a big bag of fresh pine shavings down in the coop. Unfortunately the flock was already roosting when I was having to do all of this but it had to get done so they didn't make a nasty mess on the vinyl. This morning I went out to check on them and one of the girls was squawking pretty loudly (this is not uncommon for her). But then I noticed that she'd squawk really loud and then open her beak and act like she was gagging, and then do the same thing over again.
She didn't act like she wanted off the roost even though she was walking around so I lifted the waterer to her and she took multiple good drinks. I then got a small handful of feed and although she didn't attack the food she did eat. Finally she got down and joined the others who were now digging in the new pine bedding.
I turned to leave and heard the weirdest loud bark noise. I went back to them and watched, none of them were acting strangely, just digging and scratching. Then I heard it again and I'm 95% sure that it was the same chicken.
My flock does not free range and right now their chicken run is on gravel. They get ACV with the mother in their water and grower crumbles. Kitchen scrapes depending on the day. I'm worried about gapeworm but wasn't sure if she'd still be eating/drinking if she had gapeworm
Then I was wondering it she'd be acting this way simply because of the dusty pine shavings, either the dust or maybe she had ate a piece and it was caught in her throat. None of them have had a problem with the bedding before but they also weren't in the coop the first time I put down fresh bedding.
Advice please, whether you think it is gapeworm and what I need to do or if you think it could be something else all together. Although I don't mean this to be rude or anything like that I've posted a few things on here in the past and never felt like I was given much help
I really need help with this one, I've been researching all morning and can't find anything exactly like what I'm experiencing.
I cleaned the coop this weekend and last night put in the new vinyl flooring, put the coop back together and put a big bag of fresh pine shavings down in the coop. Unfortunately the flock was already roosting when I was having to do all of this but it had to get done so they didn't make a nasty mess on the vinyl. This morning I went out to check on them and one of the girls was squawking pretty loudly (this is not uncommon for her). But then I noticed that she'd squawk really loud and then open her beak and act like she was gagging, and then do the same thing over again.
She didn't act like she wanted off the roost even though she was walking around so I lifted the waterer to her and she took multiple good drinks. I then got a small handful of feed and although she didn't attack the food she did eat. Finally she got down and joined the others who were now digging in the new pine bedding.
I turned to leave and heard the weirdest loud bark noise. I went back to them and watched, none of them were acting strangely, just digging and scratching. Then I heard it again and I'm 95% sure that it was the same chicken.
My flock does not free range and right now their chicken run is on gravel. They get ACV with the mother in their water and grower crumbles. Kitchen scrapes depending on the day. I'm worried about gapeworm but wasn't sure if she'd still be eating/drinking if she had gapeworm
Advice please, whether you think it is gapeworm and what I need to do or if you think it could be something else all together. Although I don't mean this to be rude or anything like that I've posted a few things on here in the past and never felt like I was given much help
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