Gape worm or just heat?

[FloridaFlock]

We live in Florida so it’s hot and humid. I put water in 4 places for them and they have what I think is a well ventilated coop. Unfortunately I lost a dear hen Saturday. She was found in the coop in the morning. No signs of trauma and no previous issues aside from panting. This EE in particular ran hot it seemed. It’s getting warmer. 85° in the day and only cooling to 75-73° in the evenings with humidity 65%+ even at night. I installed an extra fan in the coop to generate air and even cut an additional vent hole last night and removed the Bahamas style shutters from their coop but still several of my girls were still panting all night and periodically throughout the day. I’ve also places a kiddy pool out for them filled with a few inches of cool water but no one seems interested and I also wet their shady areas in the morning to hopefully cool the ground for them. I’ve checked for Gape Worm and although it’s not the best picture, I was wondering if I would see a worm if they had it. I can’t find any pictures online with a clear view of what it would look like inside a chicken’s throat. Any help or insight is great appreciated.

I’ve also looked for mites, fleas, etc and found nothing. I’m adding electrolytes to their water.

I may add more ventilation on the back wall if you guys think it’s necessary. I have a temp gauge in the coop and it’s pretty even to the outside temp but again that’s warm even now in April.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Hi, Sorry to hear of your troubles but glad to hear you are actively looking for a solution.
How old is your flock? Can you take photos of coop and run? Do you free range? When was the last time you wormed your flock if ever?
I too am in a warm/hot/humid location so I feel your pain. I lost more than my fair share when I started out from what I thought was heat, also heat and POL was a biggie. I have found that worming my flock every so many months was beneficial in relieving addition stress and helped them ride out the hot months better. My losses have become less as I grew in knowledge.
So, Throw it all out there, we have plenty of Floridians out there who will chime in and help you to do all you can to avoid another event.
I think you have done well with the multi waters and fans. Start skipping any corn and cut down on treats too or switch to frozen fruits.

 

[TropicalBabies]

My coop is almost 100% open during the summers, I have open nest boxes & fans in coops, shade cloth in the run. I can always staple a feed bag for wind or rain protection if needed. So open everything up as much as you can while keeping your chooks safe. You can always hang a frozen water bottle in front or behind the fan for additional cooling. I let my flock free range and in summers I run the hose on low under a tree during the worst of the day, frozen fruits in the water are fun for them to play with and inspire them to drink more to cool them. Less stress during the day so it does not carry into the night is good. Also, some chickens and some breeds just don't work. Don't be afraid to rehome what you think you may loose and purchase what works for you.
Ya know, 85-75 is not that bad... I would focus on possibly worming your flock.

 

[dawg53]

@FloridaFlock You're not going to see gapeworms looking down a chickens throat. Gapeworms are located far down in the trachea. A fecal float test will determine if worms are present in your chickens. You can take fresh fecal samples to a vet and have them examine the samples under a microscope.
If your chickens are eating and drinking, I can tell you that it's not gapeworms. Besides, gapeworms arnt common in chickens.

A fan inside the coop is the way to go. Make sure the fan is blowing air out the vent. Indirect airflow will come in through the other vents. You dont want the fan blowing air directly on your chickens. I have a fan in each coop and a box fan in each pen.

 

[FloridaFlock]

Hi, Sorry to hear of your troubles but glad to hear you are actively looking for a solution.
How old is your flock? Can you take photos of coop and run? Do you free range? When was the last time you wormed your flock if ever?
I too am in a warm/hot/humid location so I feel your pain. I lost more than my fair share when I started out from what I thought was heat, also heat and POL was a biggie. I have found that worming my flock every so many months was beneficial in relieving addition stress and helped them ride out the hot months better. My losses have become less as I grew in knowledge.
So, Throw it all out there, we have plenty of Floridians out there who will chime in and help you to do all you can to avoid another event.
I think you have done well with the multi waters and fans. Start skipping any corn and cut down on treats too or switch to frozen fruits.

Thank you for your reply. I have never de-wormed them although I do have the medication. I was just hesitant to do so unless necessary and I’ve read I need to contain them when de-worming. They are free range on our small 1/3 acre. My flock is just over a year. I did loose one other about 4 months ago to a mysterious illness as well. Similar situation, just found her near our house with no visible issues and nothing in the throat. I believe I know the protocol but I toss all eggs for 14 days correct after each de-worming. Do you think caging them is necessary during the de-worming process?

 

[dawg53]

I worm my birds monthly. What wormer do you have?

 

[TropicalBabies]

Thank you for your reply. I have never de-wormed them although I do have the medication. I was just hesitant to do so unless necessary and I’ve read I need to contain them when de-worming. They are free range on our small 1/3 acre. My flock is just over a year. I did loose one other about 4 months ago to a mysterious illness as well. Similar situation, just found her near our house with no visible issues and nothing in the throat. I believe I know the protocol but I toss all eggs for 14 days correct after each de-worming. Do you think caging them is necessary during the de-working process?

I like the idea of a fecal float. Set aside about $25ish for. Be good to get a base and know what is in your dirt.
I do not confine my chooks when worming though I do have poop boards (that I love) and can spot who is discharging what many times. In the tropics, all things good and bad seem to flourish.
It may be @dawg who got me on the worm train and I have no regrets. The withdrawal period is roughly 14 days (depends so gotta read) but I like to plan it when they are slow laying- like just b4 peak summer and peak winter, that way they are already on the slow side and I will not miss too much eggs- can always feed to dog or back to chooks for a tasty treat. I will also worm in between if I get suspect. The down side to that I have noticed may be crop issues so be sure to build them back up with a little yogurt when all finished.

 

[FloridaFlock]

I worm my birds monthly. What wormer do you have?

I purchased fenbendazole but will get something else if that’s better.

 

[dawg53]

I purchased fenbendazole but will get something else if that’s better.

The Safeguard liquid goat wormer is perfect. Dosage is 0.25ml per pound given orally for 5 days to all your birds.
The dosage for a 5 pound hen is 1.25ml given orally for 5 days.
You can use a syringe without a needle to administer it orally. It's best to worm your birds early in the morning before sunrise and before they feed.

 

[FloridaFlock]

Thank you all for your extensive knowledge! I sincerely appreciate the guidance. I will call vets tomorrow to find someone to do the float test and probably go ahead and deworm for good measure unless you think I should wait for lab results. I just can’t bear to loose anymore of my girls.