Mother Hen Behaving Oddly

[Clintypops]

Hi everyone

I have a silkie hen who hatched out 3 chicks 2 days ago. Since coming off the nest with the chicks she has been behaving very strangely. She keeps shaking her head very vigorously and the opening her beak wide and gaping. She is not making any coughing sounds and her chest isn't rattling . I'm concerned she has gapeworm but I dont know how to go about treating it bearing in mind she has young chicks so i cant offer her the medicated layers pellets i would usually use. What would you suggest ?

 

[Fishsticks06]

Hi everyone

I have a silkie hen who hatched out 3 chicks 2 days ago. Since coming off the nest with the chicks she has been behaving very strangely. She keeps shaking her head very vigorously and the opening her beak wide and gaping. She is not making any coughing sounds and her chest isn't rattling . I'm concerned she has gapeworm but I dont know how to go about treating it bearing in mind she has young chicks so i cant offer her the medicated layers pellets i would usually use. What would you suggest ?

That sounds like gapeworm to me, that doesn’t seem like any defense mechanism a chicken would have. Or who knows, you might have an odd mama hen. Bust seriously you might have to get gapeworm treatment. If you want to further prevent gapeworm, give all the birds apple cider vinegar (recipe can be searched up.) Hope your chicks do well as well as mama. Cheers!