Gapeworm? Treatment?

[Joychik]

Hello, I could use some help. I have a mixed flock with a 6 month old salmon faverolle pullet that sounds like a duck. She also squeaks like a dog toy. She mouth breaths occasionally. I was suspecting gapeworm but then I read it was rare. This has been going on for a while and I just thought that was how she sounded. This is my first year having chickens. I am planning on treating everyone with the safeguard goat dewormer, b

ut it does not come for a few days. Should I treat them for the worms or any other suggestions.

 

[Debbie292d]

You're right. Gapeworm is extremely rare, and the noises she's making very well could be a respiratory infection, like a cold.

What's her poop look like?
Is she eating and drinking okay?
Was she laying and is she still laying eggs?
Any other symptoms?

It doesn't hurt to treat them for worms, but you should follow that up with probiotics. I'd also be giving her/them vitamins such as Poultry Cell to help fight whatever it is.

Do you have an antibiotic or access to a vet to get one? I believe we can still get Fish Mox or Aqua-Mox (Amoxicillin) without a script although I see Chewy discontinued selling it. If this continues or gets worse, this one may need an antibiotic.

 

[casportpony]

As @Debbie292d, said, gapeworms are rare, but if you want to treat for gapeworms, weigh your hen and give Safeguard at 0.14 ml per pound of body weight for five consecutive days.

 

[Joychik]

You're right. Gapeworm is extremely rare, and the noises she's making very well could be a respiratory infection, like a cold.

What's her poop look like?
Is she eating and drinking okay?
Was she laying and is she still laying eggs?
Any other symptoms?

It doesn't hurt to treat them for worms, but you should follow that up with probiotics. I'd also be giving her/them vitamins such as Poultry Cell to help fight whatever it is.

Do you have an antibiotic or access to a vet to get one? I believe we can still get Fish Mox or Aqua-Mox (Amoxicillin) without a script although I see Chewy discontinued selling it. If this continues or gets worse, this one may need an antibiotic.

Thank you! She has not started laying yet. Her poop has seemed a little soft but I wouldn't say diarrhea. Her comb looks pale compared to my other chickens but they are all different breeds so im not sure. She also seems thinner than the others, but once again they are all different breeds. I have a splash Marans, a buff Orpington and a little blue easter egger. I have been giving them all rooster booster and a little apple cider vinegar to their water.

 

[Joychik]

Thank you! She has not started laying yet. Her poop has seemed a little soft but I wouldn't say diarrhea. Her comb looks pale compared to my other chickens but they are all different breeds so im not sure. She also seems thinner than the others, but once again they are all different breeds. I have a splash Marans, a buff Orpington and a little blue easter egger. I have been giving them all rooster booster and a little apple cider vinegar to their water.

No access to a chicken vet. There are other vets that might help me out but nobody that knows anything about chickens.

 

[Razzlefrazzle]

Stridor (a fancy word for noisy breathing) is often caused by something stuck in the throat. Usually it's just a piece of food or something and goes away on its own in a day or so... If it's been going on awhile it may be a cold or she may have gotten something really stuck in her throat that she can't clear (chickens can eat all sorts of large/weird stuff they shouldn't). I'd give her a home exam... Open up her beak (hold her comb in one hand and gently pull down on her wattles with the other or just press your fingers at the corners of her beak) and see if you can see any blockages, mucus, etc. Also gently feel her neck/throat with your fingers to see if you can feel any bumps that shouldn't be there.

There is a small chance that she has some sort of genetic defect that caused a problem with her windpipe. I don't think it's too likely, but if it just slowly developed and you thought that was her normal sound it might be a possibility.

 

[Joychik]

Oh thank you! I will do an exam tomorrow. I did look in her mouth the other day but didn't see anything. She went from baby chick noise to this little raspy squeak that progressively got more raspy and squeaky. It also wouldn't surprise me if she sucked something in there. She is kind of a goofball. We absolutely adore her!