My experience with a chicken with Gape worm - symptoms, what to do and what not to do.

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you for writing this up, I'm very sorry for your loss, and very grateful that you have shared all this information.

I'm currently trying to rid my Chicken of Gapeworm. She seems healthy and fine, I think she has been infected for about 5 or 6 weeks now. I treated her with the Avitrol Plus Bird wormer 4 weeks ago, then again 2 weeks ago, and an extra dose a week ago. I think after reading your experiences I will wait and see if the worms leave or not, before moving on to the Flubenol. She seems 100% fine, except for the cough / gurgle noise. She hasn't been gaping for about 2 weeks now, but started a few days ago with the cough / gurgle noise through the night! Fingers crossed.

Welcome To BYC

Sorry you're having troubles.

The OP (Original Poster) has only made 1 post in 2022 and has never returned, so very unlikely they will reply to you.

Where are you located in the world?

My understanding is that Avitrol Plus is given once, then repeated in 14 days. The dewormer should have taken care of Gapeworms if this was her issue.
Generally, a chicken that has Gapeworms gasps constantly, is in distress and is not eating/drinking.
You report she's healthy and fine, but started a gurgle/cough noise a few days ago.

Check her crop - make sure it's emptying overnight. Gurgling can often be heard when a hen has a crop issue. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Is she laying eggs? Any bloat or fluid in the abdomen? Gurgling can often be heard when a hen has fluid in the abdomen.

 

[GreensyChickie]

Welcome To BYC

Sorry you're having troubles.

The OP (Original Poster) has only made 1 post in 2022 and has never returned, so very unlikely they will reply to you.

Where are you located in the world?

My understanding is that Avitrol Plus is given once, then repeated in 14 days. The dewormer should have taken care of Gapeworms if this was her issue.
Generally, a chicken that has Gapeworms gasps constantly, is in distress and is not eating/drinking.
You report she's healthy and fine, but started a gurgle/cough noise a few days ago.

Check her crop - make sure it's emptying overnight. Gurgling can often be heard when a hen has a crop issue. https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...w-to-know-which-one-youre-dealing-with.73607/

Is she laying eggs? Any bloat or fluid in the abdomen? Gurgling can often be heard when a hen has fluid in the abdomen.

Thank you so much for replying! I'm in Melbourne, Australia.

I keep thinking it can't possibly be gapeworm given how healthy she seems. She stopped laying eggs when she first started having little bubbles forming in her eye about a month ago when she had her breakfast. That has since stopped happening.

I've done the two doses of Avitrol Plus (14 days apart) and an extra dose 4 days after the second lot.

My chickens don't come near me, I would have to grab her off the roost at night to check her abdomen. It's more of a cough than a gurgle!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thank you so much for replying! I'm in Melbourne, Australia.

I keep thinking it can't possibly be gapeworm given how healthy she seems. She stopped laying eggs when she first started having little bubbles forming in her eye about a month ago when she had her breakfast. That has since stopped happening.

I've done the two doses of Avitrol Plus (14 days apart) and an extra dose 4 days after the second lot.

My chickens don't come near me, I would have to grab her off the roost at night to check her abdomen. It's more of a cough than a gurgle!

Did you happen to treat her with an antibiotic?
Bubbles forming in the eyes can often be an indication of Mycoplasma which is a respiratory illness. Symptoms are commonly treated with Tylan/Tylosin, Tiamulin/Denagard and sometimes Tetracyclines.

 

[GreensyChickie]

Did you happen to treat her with an antibiotic?
Bubbles forming in the eyes can often be an indication of Mycoplasma which is a respiratory illness. Symptoms are commonly treated with Tylan/Tylosin, Tiamulin/Denagard and sometimes Tetracyclines.

Yes that's what I started with - I treated with this for a week, then the bubbles went away and the cough sound started, and on it went! She still seems fine, it's been a month now, she isn't laying though so something is still not right.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Yes that's what I started with - I treated with this for a week, then the bubbles went away and the cough sound started, and on it went! She still seems fine, it's been a month now, she isn't laying though so something is still not right.

Is she molting?

Respiratory diseases can affect production, so this may be why she's not laying.
Sometimes when not well, they just stop producing until they recover.

 

[GreensyChickie]

Is she molting?

Respiratory diseases can affect production, so this may be why she's not laying.
Sometimes when not well, they just stop producing until they recover.

Nope not molting that I can see! If she gets worse I will take her to the vet. But while she seems fine, just with the strange cough, I will let her be.