GapeWorm vs. CRD

[mipsy6]

This morning my sick chicken was still gaping, and then started doing something I would describe in humans as "dry heaving." She was opening her beak really wide (no sound coming out) and straining her neck forward. She also shook her head and was making some odd noises like she had a scratchy throat. So, I decided to worm her.

I saw in another gapeworm thread that someone had success with Safeguard Canine Dewormer, so I am using that. I did what the other poster had done and made a mash of feed, 3/4 g of the Safeguard and a bit of water. My chicken ate it right down, so hopefully that will help. You're supposed to give the same dose for 3 days. I'll let you know if there's any change in her health. I have my fingers crossed!

If the worming doesn't work, I may try to treat for cocci. (I can't get a fecal done because there are no chicken vets in the area, so I am just going by process of elimination.) Does anyone know how long I should wait between worming and a cocci treatment? I don't want to kill her system with too much medication.

 

[mipsy6]

My chicken is still very weak--and SO skinny. I gave her the SafeGuard again this morning and have one more dose to do tomorrow. I am hopeful.

Prior to the worm treatment, I was giving the sickie lots of treats--plain oatmeal, plain rice, fruit scraps, plain yogurt, sunflower seeds--and she was gobbling them up. It worries me that she's so thin in spite of that. Can the worms be preventing her from absorbing nutrients?

Does anyone know if there's some way to tell if the de-worming worked? Maybe by examining her poop?

My food-grade DE should arrive in the mail today, so I'll be scattering that around the coop. Do you think I should add it to my chicken feed, too, or wait to do that until after the de-worming is done?