Gapeworm question. PLEASE READ! I need some advice here.

[PunkinPeep]

I have noticed one of my 13 week old b.o.'s this past week, periodically opening her mouth really wide. The other chicks aren't doing this. It seems like she's eating as well as the others and just as active. If a gape worm problem is starting, can i see it if i look in her mouth? I've read about it, but i don't know how far back to look.

Also, could it be something else i haven't read about yet?


edited to change title in order to get more attention

 

[PunkinPeep]

I really need some answers on this gapeworm thing.

Genovieve is spending a lot of time were her mouth wide open.

I tried to get a peak inside tonight, but of course when i wanted to look, she had her beak shut tight.

Any tips on how to get her to open her mouth while i'm holding her close enough to be able to actually see?

 

[dlhunicorn]

try in the evening hours when they are normally sleeping > if she is gaping that much then that should provide you with an excellent opportunity to use a popsicle stick or such to keep her from shutting it (cradle her neck in your hand so she cant pull away while you are inserting whatever it is in beak to keep her from shutting it ... have someone standing by to help if you need it > you can also wrap her in towel to keep her from flapping around> be careful not to restrict the chest too much though ) ... look for placques and dont forget to look at the roof (towards the sinuses) .... mycotoxin (o.a. aspergillosis) vit A deficiency, trichomoniasis, are a few things to cause this symptom... might even be she ate a feather or something and it is caught in her throat... doesnt have to necessarily indicate gapeworm.

 

[PunkinPeep]

thanks a lot for your help.

i tried tonight to get a look inside. but i wasn't successful. she holds her mouth open a lot, but as soon as i put something up there, she snaps it shut. i guess i'm too slow. and if you're holding her, her mouth is tight shut.

but she isn't coughing or even seem to be distressed. i didn't want to traumatize her by prying her beak open and possibly hurting her when she jerked. so i guess i'll just keep an eye on her, and if i see her start coughing or acting like she's trying to dislodge something, i'll have to get more stubborn about it.

 

[purpletree23]

I think you chicken has gape worm. Isolate her from the rest of the flock before all of them catch it. When she starts to shack her head back and forth trying to dislodge the worm other worms will be expelled and the rest of the flock will get infected. Take a fecal sample to the vet and he will be able to tell you what you have. A decent vet shouldn't charge too much for one test. Call around. Please don't wait. Once they start to cough and weeze it's too late. They will soon die from suffocation. Catch it early so you don't lose your flock and treatment costs will be less.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

A word of warning here. Please do not automatically think that your bird has some disease that you read about on this site.

Do Not treat for a disease that you have not put your finger on and KNOW that this is what it really is.

Jumping to a conclusion that your bird is sick from some weird disease that really is not all that common can kill your bird just as easily as the disease itself.

Carefully read on what you THINK you have, read some more and do a thorough look see with your bird. If you need help ask someone you know, if you need an avian vet, look one up.

Yes, time is of the essence, but so is a correct conclusion.

Google searches do wonders. The state of Florida and Mississippi have Universities that are dedicated to the diseases of poultry.

 

[pips&peeps]

I wouldn't think a chick that young would have a full grown gape worm at thirteen weeks.

I think it has some type of respiratory infection going on.

You can treat for worms with Ivermectin. I use 1.5 cc/ml per gallon of water of injectible ivermection to worm. Put this in front of the birds for one day only.

 

[PunkinPeep]

pips&peeps :

I wouldn't think a chick that young would have a full grown gape worm at thirteen weeks.

I think it has some type of respiratory infection going on.

You can treat for worms with Ivermectin. I use 1.5 cc/ml per gallon of water of injectible ivermection to worm. Put this in front of the birds for one day only.

is it o.k. to dose with ivermectin for general prevention? i'm not into overmedicating my birds.

also, does anyone know the effect of d.e. or cayenne pepper for gapeworm?​

 

[PunkinPeep]

well, when i went out this afternoon, she was making a squeaky barking noise and shaking her head really hard, so i'm going to get the ivermectin this weekend. sadly i can't get it sooner.

here's hoping she'll be o.k.

 

[dlhunicorn]

ivermectin or Eprinex (dosage is weight/size dependent remember) is the least hard/toxic for your birds so yes you can give that. Ditto rimshoes post...
Young birds having access to the ground without a mamma to show them what to eat can get in all kinds of trouble (dependent on the area they are foraging in)...
I wish I could tell you exactly what is wrong with your bird but I can't... there are just too many variables (including a feather or other foreign object which might have become lodged in the throat but allowing for feed to move through) > even a vet can not give you an immediate answer without a whole barrage of testing.