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- #11
I used Safeguard (fenbendazole), and couldn't quite see anything down her neck so I just treated her knowing it wouldn't hurt if that wasn't it. You can get this at any feed supply store without a prescription. The symptoms include problems breathing and Buttercup actually had hiccups quite a bit for a while. After the gapeworms start getting bigger, they lose precious air space to breathe in air so they have this gulping going on where they stretch their necks into the air and take a big breath and come back down. When it gets really bad, they just sit there and gulp air in every few seconds and then bow their head down and close their eyes inbetween breaths. It's also hard for them to eat so I gave my other chicken that I lost recently some raw egg. My chickens love it when I throw down an egg and let it crack open for them to eat the inside. I put my sick chicken in a huge rabbit house when I discovered she was sick so that the other chickens wouldn't catch the gapeworm. Unfortunately, I think I waited too long to treat my poor Lil' C cause she never got any better after several treatments. She also could have had something else, who knows!! I spent $25 on the liquid fenbendazole and couldn't bear spending another $200 on running tests on her at the vet so like I said before, I thought it best to have her put down.
Good luck with your chicken and I hope you have good results! Just remember to get rid of her eggs for about two weeks after treating her since a bit of the medication will be absorbed into them. They won't hurt most people but those with an allergic reaction could have major problems eating the eggs.
Good luck with your chicken and I hope you have good results! Just remember to get rid of her eggs for about two weeks after treating her since a bit of the medication will be absorbed into them. They won't hurt most people but those with an allergic reaction could have major problems eating the eggs.