I just recently acquired some new birds, one full grown rooster and what was supposed to be a hen but is also rooster and unfortunately already put them in with my one hen and neighboring duck. Just shortly after introducing them I noticed the big guy making a barking honking type sneeze or cough but otherwise looks fine. The other new one has no other symptoms other than he periodically shuts one eye that doesn't look runny or irritated. Now I'm scared my one hen is doomed and am also concerned if the duck is in danger of what this could be too. I've started to read up on CRD and can't tell if that is what this is and have started them on duramycin 10 to be safe. I understand they will be permanent carriers and if so does that mean my hen can not hatch chicks or will they just be ill at birth or are they just carriers that can live a normal life. Also concerned about us eating eggs from a possible carrier. I cannot fathom the idea of culling my flock... One more thing that I noticed others talking about that they do is stretching their necks and opening their mouths sort of like a long yawn...what is that???? HELP!!!!
Hello! If you notice the rooster stretching his neck alot and yawning, along with his cough, this could be a parasite called gape worm. You can sometimes see them in the throat of a chicken....They look like tiny red threads, and they are very irritating, which causes the behavior of the chicken stretching and yawning, as if they're trying to clear their throats. There is a wormer medicine that you can buy at the farm store, that can take care of this. Now, you've got a good idea to add the Duramayacin to the drinking water as a precaution, since your rooster might be sick. I have heard about chickens being carriers once they get sick, but I am not real positive on that. I hope everything turns out Ok for your little flock!
do you have any recommendations on wormers?? And what about the duck? My hubby looked into worming and everything seems sketchy as to what's safe for them...he also said a good indication on worms is a pale waddle...all of them are deep red.
I'm not really sure which wormer you would need......Try using the search button at the top right corner of the screen, and put "gape worm" in there..... I hope everything works out OK for you!
