Gapeworms

[KWheat]

Hi there. I just want to confirm in the image attached that this is a tapeworm egg?
If so what is the easiest way to deworm a flock and what dewormer/dosage?
Also, I had a young silkie pullet that I just got less than a week ago (a little thin upon getting her) go from eating drinking normal, acting normal last night to lethargic and weak this afternoon, then suddenly passed. Had no respiratory symptoms. Checked a decal sample and found a small amount of these suspected gapeworms eggs. Would those have caused her to go downhill in 24 hours or less and die?

 

[dawg53]

That looks like a capillary worm egg. Capillary worms are killers due to their numbers. Tapeworm segments can easily be seen in feces. If your birds had gapeworms, you wouldve seen the symptoms of coughing, neck stretching, head shaking, gasping for air etc...
Capillary worms infect the intestinal tract, trachea and esophagus.
Orally dose your birds 1/2cc Valbazen liquid cattle/sheep wormer, then redose again in 10 days.
Valbazen will also take care of other roundworms as well.

 

[sylviethecochin]

You're not going to isolate gapeworms from a faecal sample; they'd be digested. Gapeworms live in the throat, and the eggs can't survive in the gut.—EDT: all of this information is apparently completely false, and I'm sorry. Please ignore it.

How many is "a few?" Did you do any sort of count?

 

[dawg53]

You're not going to isolate gapeworms from a faecal sample; they'd be digested. Gapeworms live in the throat, and the eggs can't survive in the gut.

How many is "a few?" Did you do any sort of count?

Actually gapeworm eggs are excreted onto and into the soil. When birds peck the soil, the eggs are picked up and swallowed (direct life cycle.)
Insects and earthworms consume the eggs as well, then the chickens eat the insects and earthworms. This is known as the indirect life cycle.
The eggs can survive for several years in the soil.
Not all insects will be infected with worm eggs.

 

[sylviethecochin]

Actually gapeworm eggs are excreted onto and into the soil. When birds peck the soil, the eggs are picked up and swallowed (direct life cycle.)
Insects and earthworms consume the eggs as well, then the chickens eat the insects and earthworms. This is known as the indirect life cycle.
The eggs can survive for several years in the soil.

Oops. Okay, then I was misinformed. I was told that gapeworms actually laid their eggs in chickens' mouths, and that they could also get them from earthworms. I apologise.

 

[dawg53]

Oops. Okay, then I was misinformed. I was told that gapeworms actually laid their eggs in chickens' mouths, and that they could also get them from earthworms. I apologise.

Well yes, once the birds pick the eggs up off the ground, the eggs will be in their mouth and then swallowed. The worms themselves wont be in the mouth. No worries, not a big deal.

 

[KWheat]

You're not going to isolate gapeworms from a faecal sample; they'd be digested. Gapeworms live in the throat, and the eggs can't survive in the gut.—EDT: all of this information is apparently completely false, and I'm sorry. Please ignore it.

How many is "a few?" Did you do any sort of count?

That’s ok. So just to confirm gapeworms are seen in stool samples? I was on 10x and seeing 1-2 per field.

 

[KWheat]

Actually gapeworm eggs are excreted onto and into the soil. When birds peck the soil, the eggs are picked up and swallowed (direct life cycle.)
Insects and earthworms consume the eggs as well, then the chickens eat the insects and earthworms. This is known as the indirect life cycle.
The eggs can survive for several years in the soil.
Not all insects will be infected with worm eggs.

Can you confirm whether or not the egg seen in the picture is gapeworm or what type of worm egg?

 

[KWheat]

Can you confirm whether or not the egg seen in the picture is gapeworm or what type of worm egg?

Never mind, it does appear to be threadworms after looking at images of those.

 

[dawg53]

That’s ok. So just to confirm gapeworms are seen in stool samples? I was on 10x and seeing 1-2 per field.

According to my fifth edition Veterinary Parasitology reference manual, the egg looked like a capillary worm egg. I know someone who can tell for sure who studies Parasitology.
@Sue Gremlin
Sue could you check the pic in the first post. What do you think?