gape worm?????

wife2abirdman

Songster
11 Years
May 4, 2008
482
5
154
Houlton Maine
My Coop
My Coop
Last week our 18 wk Salmon Faverolle acted like she had maybe a dislocated jaw. At the time her crop was full and after two days she seemed better even perked up a bit. This Sat she was fine even back to the spaz she is eating watermelon with the rest. Yesterday we slaughtered 4 roos, and she seemed ok but a little too calm for her, I just thought it was because the roos weren't there to bother her. This afternoon I fed them and she did not come and eat like normal, she did peck at her food but acted like she couldn't swallow properly. She was holding her beak open again like they do when it is hot out, also sneezing , shaking her head a lot, and she has an empty crop. Her mucus is thick, when I put fresh water in there I saw her try to drink water but not sure how much she got. She is acting a bit off as well, she doesn't roost and normally when I put her up there she jumps right down. Tonight when I put her up there she sat there and closed her eyes. her neck seems swollen but not, more like the neck skin is more loose than normal.

Any ideas?
 
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could it be gape worm I just found the description. None of the other chickens seem affected. I tried putting some olive oil down her throat this morning and after I did I heard a small gurgling sound almost like a persons stomach growling. She kept "gasping for air" but she has no blockages in her nose that I can see. There was no smell from her mouth just smells like grain. I need some suggestions to the gape worm though as I have never dealt with deworming chickens(horses, cows, goats, sheep, dogs and cats but no chickens) right now our flock is 14 but we are planning on slaughtering our other three roos in the next 2 mos. do I have to treat them all or just her? What would the withdrawal time be for the roos?
 
Gape worm would not cause mucus, sneezing or a bad smell. Coryza can cause all the symptoms you have described...the gasping the muscus the smell the rattles...etc.

I think you need to start her on antibiotics. Sulfamethoxine is the prefered medication. You can also use Sulfamethazine. It is contagious to the rest of the flock so you may want to dose all of them.

It can be controlled by good management and not introducing new birds to the flock.
 

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