Hi from the NC Mountains!

[sleigh8]

My name is Susan, and I'm a 1.5 yr. backyard chicken veteran. It's been a fun and easy experience up to now. Reading the "How to Introduce New Hens into the Flock" tells me I have been lucky because we've broken every rule about increasing the flock. Fortunately, up to this point, it's all worked out fine. I just added 3 new hens to our existing flock of 5, and am hoping that they will all be fine again. But clearly, I have a lot of learning to do, and I look forward to learning from all of you.
Current issues: One happy hen who, suddenly, is hoarse and occasionally mouthbreathes (just stared yesterday). I'm guessing Gape Worm or a Cold... there is no distress, she eats, has no discharge from anywhere and seems perfect except for the occasionally gaping mouth and hoarse sounding cluck. Any ideas? Thank you for being here!

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Hi

Glad you could join the flock!! Pleased to hear your enjoying your chicken keeping. Sounds like it could be gape worm. Also I would just check in her beak to make sure she has nothing stuck there I've had it happen before. I would keep an eye on her as much as you can to see what symptoms she is showing. If you feel she is off colour I'm sure posting in the emergencies disease section with full symptoms and description would be of benefit to you https://www.backyardchickens.com/f/10/emergencies-diseases-injuries-and-cures.

Wishing you the very best of luck with your future chicken keeping and hope you enjoy BYC

 

[ChickyChickens]

Welcome to BYC!!! There are loads of members on here…so if you have ANY questions…just ASK!!!

Hope you have loads of fun and all your answers answered here on BYC the BEST CHICKEN KEEPING FORUM on EARTH!!

 

[BantamFan4Life]

Welcome to BYC & have a happy new year!

 

[Mountain Peeps]

Welcome to BYC! Please make yourself at home and we are here to help.

So sorry about your bird!

Defiantly check out the link provided by Yorkshire Coop.

 

[Kelsie2290]

Hello and Welcome To BYC and Happy Holidays! Hope your bird is OK.

 

[Wyandottes7]

Welcome to BYC!

We're glad to have you.

I'm sorry to hear about your bird! Good luck with her.

 

[BantamLover21]

Glad you joined us!

I'm sorry about your hen!

 

[CrazyChookz]

and have a happy new year! I hope your bird gets well soon!

 

[drumstick diva]

You may want to explore symptoms of gapeworm - just in case. You can put that in the searchbox and see what comes up. I think one way to check is to carefully probe inside the throat with a long q-tip - if it comes out with reddened areas or a worm itself, you have your answer.

My friend lost a mature hen to gapeworms because she felt it just had a cough and was treating it, of all things with a cold relief product for humans. When she found the poor hen dead one morning, she said worms were coming out of her mouth. That was really sad.