Hello all,
I have a 2 year old barred rock who is very chatty and active. Yesterday (12/27) she was moving around, pecking the ground and eating normally. However, when I got home from work last night (12/27) around 6pm, the nesting box top was mysteriously open and Lola was missing. My wife and I looked all over the yard for her. We actually thought someone stole her since the nesting box was open. We finally found her crouched down and loudly wheezing and gaping (sticking her neck out and gasping for air) behind the coop. The temperature yesterday was in the mid-30s all day. We immediately brought her in the garage, placed her on a towel in a dog crate and began to give her water through an eye-dropper to get her hydrated. We also gave her +/- 1mL of colloidal silver thinking this may be a respiratory infection that an antibiotic/antiviral could treat. However, my research has led me to gapeworm as the most likely culprit, but I'd like some guidance.
This morning, we half-expected to see a dead hen in the crate, but thankfully she was still with us. She was finally calmed down, the gaping less intense and the wheezing had subsided a bit. I went to Tractor Supply first thing at 8am and purchased Wazine-17. It's the only dewormer they have specifically labelled for poultry. I purchased this because I read that gapeworm is a type of roundworm and that Wazine-17 will kill roundworms, but, of course, I'm not totally sure.
Assuming my diagnosis is correct, does anyone have any experience treating this condition (gapeworm) with Wazine-17? Better yet, does anyone know of a substance that will *definitely* work *quickly* for gapeworm? I don't know how much more time I have to experiment with this.
Bird Type:
Barred Rock, 2 years old, weight +/- 2lbs (she's very petite)
Behavior:
Will barely move. Will not walk. Will not drink or eat. Sits in one place and gapes/wheezes. If she relaxes she stops gaping and only wheezes slightly. Eyes barely open
How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms:
She has been occasionally gaping for a few months. Like once or twice during an hour-long session of watching her. I didn't realize at the time that this was gaping. I thought she was yawning or trying to dislodge something in her throat. But otherwise she had no symptoms. She has been missing feathers on her butt for quite a while now. But those started coming back a few months back. Don't know if this is related.
Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?:
No.
Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma?:
No
What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation?
I don't know how a small bird like this could have opened the nesting box lid. I worry someone might have come in our yard and "played" with the chickens. Perhaps they stressed Lola out?
What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all?:
Before we noticed her in poor condition (12/27) she was eating Purina Layena pellets and drinking water normally.
How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.?
Runny. In fact, when I picked her up she immediately released a runny stool. I did not look for worms at this time. She also laid what I can only describe as a "shelless egg". Basically yolk with a very thin, papery substance with it which I can only imagine is an underdeveloped shell.
What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
+/- 1mL of Wazine 17 orally and some water. I'm using an eye dropper to give her water because she will not drink herself. When we first found her I administered +/- 1mL of colloidal silver thinking maybe she had a respiratory issue.
What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I would like to avoid a vet if I can administer treatment myself. But if this is over my head, I can take her to a vet.
Describe the housing/bedding in use
+/- 40 square foot coop with run and loft for sleeping with a nesting box. They free range in the back yard during the day about 4 days a week. Lola lives with three other hens.
Thank you for any guidance you can provide. I appreciate it.
I have a 2 year old barred rock who is very chatty and active. Yesterday (12/27) she was moving around, pecking the ground and eating normally. However, when I got home from work last night (12/27) around 6pm, the nesting box top was mysteriously open and Lola was missing. My wife and I looked all over the yard for her. We actually thought someone stole her since the nesting box was open. We finally found her crouched down and loudly wheezing and gaping (sticking her neck out and gasping for air) behind the coop. The temperature yesterday was in the mid-30s all day. We immediately brought her in the garage, placed her on a towel in a dog crate and began to give her water through an eye-dropper to get her hydrated. We also gave her +/- 1mL of colloidal silver thinking this may be a respiratory infection that an antibiotic/antiviral could treat. However, my research has led me to gapeworm as the most likely culprit, but I'd like some guidance.
This morning, we half-expected to see a dead hen in the crate, but thankfully she was still with us. She was finally calmed down, the gaping less intense and the wheezing had subsided a bit. I went to Tractor Supply first thing at 8am and purchased Wazine-17. It's the only dewormer they have specifically labelled for poultry. I purchased this because I read that gapeworm is a type of roundworm and that Wazine-17 will kill roundworms, but, of course, I'm not totally sure.
Assuming my diagnosis is correct, does anyone have any experience treating this condition (gapeworm) with Wazine-17? Better yet, does anyone know of a substance that will *definitely* work *quickly* for gapeworm? I don't know how much more time I have to experiment with this.
Bird Type:
Barred Rock, 2 years old, weight +/- 2lbs (she's very petite)
Behavior:
Will barely move. Will not walk. Will not drink or eat. Sits in one place and gapes/wheezes. If she relaxes she stops gaping and only wheezes slightly. Eyes barely open
How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms:
She has been occasionally gaping for a few months. Like once or twice during an hour-long session of watching her. I didn't realize at the time that this was gaping. I thought she was yawning or trying to dislodge something in her throat. But otherwise she had no symptoms. She has been missing feathers on her butt for quite a while now. But those started coming back a few months back. Don't know if this is related.
Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms?:
No.
Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma?:
No
What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation?
I don't know how a small bird like this could have opened the nesting box lid. I worry someone might have come in our yard and "played" with the chickens. Perhaps they stressed Lola out?
What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all?:
Before we noticed her in poor condition (12/27) she was eating Purina Layena pellets and drinking water normally.
How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc.?
Runny. In fact, when I picked her up she immediately released a runny stool. I did not look for worms at this time. She also laid what I can only describe as a "shelless egg". Basically yolk with a very thin, papery substance with it which I can only imagine is an underdeveloped shell.
What has been the treatment you have administered so far?
+/- 1mL of Wazine 17 orally and some water. I'm using an eye dropper to give her water because she will not drink herself. When we first found her I administered +/- 1mL of colloidal silver thinking maybe she had a respiratory issue.
What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet?
I would like to avoid a vet if I can administer treatment myself. But if this is over my head, I can take her to a vet.
Describe the housing/bedding in use
+/- 40 square foot coop with run and loft for sleeping with a nesting box. They free range in the back yard during the day about 4 days a week. Lola lives with three other hens.
Thank you for any guidance you can provide. I appreciate it.
