gapeworms

[Nananurse0455]

Hi everone,

I'm new to Backyard Chickens, but I need your help. I've had chickens for many years, but never come across gapeworm before.

I bought 5 young dominique hens last fall, who were free ranged. In no time, they were shaking their heads like crazy, with occasional gaping. After researching on line, I thought they prob. had gape worms, so treated first with wazine, then with 1/4 cc of ivermectin orally for each hen, followed by the same dose 14 days later.

Now the symptoms have come back. Any suggestions? Does food grade diatomaceous earth work? If so, how do I use it?

Thank you!

 

[realsis]

Levamisole and Fenbedazole are effective when added to the chickens drinking water but wazine won't kill gape worm. Try levamisole. It should kill them. Hope this helps. I know you can order the Levamisole online in a powder package because I ordered it myself.i can't remember the vender but if you do a search I'm certain you can find where to order it. Hope this helps best wishes.

 

[casportpony]

Hi everone,

I'm new to Backyard Chickens, but I need your help. I've had chickens for many years, but never come across gapeworm before.

I bought 5 young dominique hens last fall, who were free ranged. In no time, they were shaking their heads like crazy, with occasional gaping. After researching on line, I thought they prob. had gape worms, so treated first with wazine, then with 1/4 cc of ivermectin orally for each hen, followed by the same dose 14 days later.

Now the symptoms have come back. Any suggestions? Does food grade diatomaceous earth work? If so, how do I use it?

Thank you!

I've had many chickens, but I've only had one that I suspected had gapes and I treated her with Safeguard (fenbendazole) .5mg/kg three days in a row and she recovered.

Wazine works for roundworms, that's it. DE will won't do anything. I would be more suspicious of a respiratory infection, but worming with Safeguard sure won't hurt.

FYI, a Domonique hen should weigh around 2.3kg and the Safeguard dose for a hen that size would be 1.15ml. The ivermectin dose would be .2mg-.4mg/kg (.02ml-.04ml per kg), which is .046ml to .092ml, not .25ml.

-Kathy

 

[Nananurse0455]

thank you!