Open yawning, neck stretching and breathing heavy

[Iditarod]

Hello I am new to chickens and I have 2 Barred Rock Pullet 8 weeks of age 1 is showing these symptoms; she is stretching her neck out and yawning like something is caught in her throat. I checked her crop to make sure no foreign object. Her poops are normal and eating and drinking like always but today I hear her having a raspy breath every once and awhile but no rattling in the chest. Any idea on if this is a start of a respiratory issue. If it is what is the best course of treatment and should I treat both since they have been together since birth. I am using Vetrx in the water and tried scrambled egg with cinnamon and oregano yesterday but didn't help. She is a pet so culling is not an option. If you suggest antibiotics please let me know if there is an oral one or if an injection is the only way also where to buy it. I have no problem injecting animals as I have done it for my dogs forever. I was trying not to medicate my two pullets but if I have to than I will. I also have 2 week old Lavender Orps in a brooder and not near the Pullets. Should I be concerned for them?

 

[ZooAtHome]

I am also new to chickens, so I have more "research" knowledge than actual experience. That said, the symptoms you describe fit gapeworms. If she were my chicken, I would do a fecal float to look for worm eggs in her feces, but most folks don't have the equipment on hand for that (I'm a veterinary technician and have my own microscope and centrifuge). If it IS gapeworm, treatment is fenbendazole (panacur) 30mg/kg x 5 days, according to my parasite book.

EDIT: You could try calling your local veterinary clinics and see if they will run a fecal for you without you actually bringing the chicken in. Some might, most will want to see her, assuming they will see chickens at all.

 

[Iditarod]

I am also new to chickens, so I have more "research" knowledge than actual experience. That said, the symptoms you describe fit gapeworms. If she were my chicken, I would do a fecal float to look for worm eggs in her feces, but most folks don't have the equipment on hand for that (I'm a veterinary technician and have my own microscope and centrifuge). If it IS gapeworm, treatment is fenbendazole (panacur) 30mg/kg x 5 days, according to my parasite book.

EDIT: You could try calling your local veterinary clinics and see if they will run a fecal for you without you actually bringing the chicken in. Some might, most will want to see her, assuming they will see chickens at all.

Would it hurt if I just treat her for it? Without a test? Like as a preventative measure.

 

[ZooAtHome]

Would it hurt if I just treat her for it? Without a test? Like as a preventative measure.

It probably wouldn't hurt, but I would be more comfortable it a more experienced chicken owner weighed in on this, too. I know with most animals, fenbendazole is pretty safe. It's a standard deworming medication that can be purchased in most feed stores. My limited experience with chickens specifically is the only thing that gives me pause. However, if she were my chicken and I were starting to hear raspy breathing with gaping and no other symptoms, I would probably chance it, even if I weren't finding gapeworm eggs in her feces. (Fecal floats don't always catch everything.) From what I've read, gapeworms can get bad enough to suffocate the host.

If you do treat her, you will need to get a weight on her to determine proper dosage. There is also a very good article on this site showing how to actually give her the meds safely, as well as giving tips on weighing her. I strongly suggest you read it before attempting to treat her.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

NOTE: If you see any nasal or ocular discharge (runny nose, watery eyes) you are probably dealing with some kind of respiratory infection, not gapeworms. The absence of these other symptoms coupled with the gaping is what led me to suspect the worms.

If you were closer, I'd run the fecal for you and assist with the treatment. Wish you luck!

 

[Iditarod]

It probably wouldn't hurt, but I would be more comfortable it a more experienced chicken owner weighed in on this, too. I know with most animals, fenbendazole is pretty safe. It's a standard deworming medication that can be purchased in most feed stores. My limited experience with chickens specifically is the only thing that gives me pause. However, if she were my chicken and I were starting to hear raspy breathing with gaping and no other symptoms, I would probably chance it, even if I weren't finding gapeworm eggs in her feces. (Fecal floats don't always catch everything.) From what I've read, gapeworms can get bad enough to suffocate the host.

If you do treat her, you will need to get a weight on her to determine proper dosage. There is also a very good article on this site showing how to actually give her the meds safely, as well as giving tips on weighing her. I strongly suggest you read it before attempting to treat her.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

NOTE: If you see any nasal or ocular discharge (runny nose, watery eyes) you are probably dealing with some kind of respiratory infection, not gapeworms. The absence of these other symptoms coupled with the gaping is what led me to suspect the worms.

If you were closer, I'd run the fecal for you and assist with the treatment. Wish you luck!

Great and thanks for the advice. I have a food scale that I can use to get her on ) thanks again!!!

 

[Iditarod]

Great and thanks for the advice. I have a food scale that I can use to get her on ) thanks again!!!

Ok I just weighed her. 13.4 ounces haha

 

[Iditarod]

It probably wouldn't hurt, but I would be more comfortable it a more experienced chicken owner weighed in on this, too. I know with most animals, fenbendazole is pretty safe. It's a standard deworming medication that can be purchased in most feed stores. My limited experience with chickens specifically is the only thing that gives me pause. However, if she were my chicken and I were starting to hear raspy breathing with gaping and no other symptoms, I would probably chance it, even if I weren't finding gapeworm eggs in her feces. (Fecal floats don't always catch everything.) From what I've read, gapeworms can get bad enough to suffocate the host.

If you do treat her, you will need to get a weight on her to determine proper dosage. There is also a very good article on this site showing how to actually give her the meds safely, as well as giving tips on weighing her. I strongly suggest you read it before attempting to treat her.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

NOTE: If you see any nasal or ocular discharge (runny nose, watery eyes) you are probably dealing with some kind of respiratory infection, not gapeworms. The absence of these other symptoms coupled with the gaping is what led me to suspect the worms.

If you were closer, I'd run the fecal for you and assist with the treatment. Wish you luck!

Ok she weighs 13.4 ounces Do you know where I would find a dosing /conversion chart?

 

[ZooAtHome]

Ok I just weighed her. 13.4 ounces haha

13.4 ounces is about .4 kg, which makes the dose for her 12 mg, once a day for 5 days. I can't tell you how much medicine that actually is without seeing the concentration of the stuff you end up using. If you need help figuring that out after you get the meds, just let me know.

Also, a general rule of thumb is that if ONE has parasites, they probably ALL do. Since you only have the two birds (right?), you might consider treating them both. Otherwise, they may just reinfect each other. Something to think about anyway.

I am hoping someone with actual experience treating gapeworms will pop in here, as I haven't had to deal with them yet personally. This is all just "book" knowledge for me, at this point.

Let me know how things go, okay?

 

[Iditarod]

13.4 ounces is about .4 kg, which makes the dose for her 12 mg, once a day for 5 days. I can't tell you how much medicine that actually is without seeing the concentration of the stuff you end up using. If you need help figuring that out after you get the meds, just let me know.

Also, a general rule of thumb is that if ONE has parasites, they probably ALL do. Since you only have the two birds (right?), you might consider treating them both. Otherwise, they may just reinfect each other. Something to think about anyway.

I am hoping someone with actual experience treating gapeworms will pop in here, as I haven't had to deal with them yet personally. This is all just "book" knowledge for me, at this point.

Let me know how things go, okay?

ok thanks and no sure why no one else has replied I usually get multiple responses within minutes haha

 

[Eggcessive]

I would go ahead and treat with the fenbandzole for 5 days, although gapeworm is rare. A respiratory disease such as infectious bronchitis, MG, or ILT might be the problem. MG is treated with Tylan, tetracycline, or Denagard. You can get Tylan 50 injectable at a feed store and give it orally 0.25 ml per pound 3 times a day for 5 days. If she has IB or ILT, those are viruses, and will have to run their course over several weeks. ILT may cause arching of the neck and bloody mucus may be coughed out from the beak. Here is a good link to read about those and other diseases:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044