Question on thin hen and also gape worm

[casportpony]

It's very easy to check them for a stuck hard or soft shelled egg... Just put on a glove, lube your finger and very gently insert your finger. No more than an inch should be enough. Google for pictures of the reproductive system of chickens, that should help you figure out where to feel.

-Kathy

 

[chickymama32]

I did notice her vent look more open than normal but didn't see anything

 

[debp]

I found this thread searching for gapeworm, because one of my 22-week old pullets - one that laid first, often and with several double-yolk eggs - is breathing through her mouth on the roost, shakes her head, sometimes rests with eyes closed when everyone else is active in the enclosure. But, she is eating and does forage still. But she seems weak. Some people worm regularly, just assuming worms, but my neighbors have had chickens for years and no one around here worms or seems to have problem. I am not inclined to regular worming unless it is absolutely necessary. I swabbed, but was nervous to go to deep in her throat. I didn't find worms, but I think I would need to get deeper in her trachea (?). I've read that people often misdiagnose respiratory disease as gapeworm. Is there a way to tell without a vet? I suppose to give safegaurd and see if it fixes her. But, if it is respiratory or something else, wouldn't that just stress her? I know many would simply cull, and if I thought she could not fully recover, that might be the thing to do if she continues to decline. Thoughts?

 

[dawg53]

I found this thread searching for gapeworm, because one of my 22-week old pullets - one that laid first, often and with several double-yolk eggs - is breathing through her mouth on the roost, shakes her head, sometimes rests with eyes closed when everyone else is active in the enclosure. But, she is eating and does forage still. But she seems weak. Some people worm regularly, just assuming worms, but my neighbors have had chickens for years and no one around here worms or seems to have problem. I am not inclined to regular worming unless it is absolutely necessary. I swabbed, but was nervous to go to deep in her throat. I didn't find worms, but I think I would need to get deeper in her trachea (?). I've read that people often misdiagnose respiratory disease as gapeworm. Is there a way to tell without a vet? I suppose to give safegaurd and see if it fixes her. But, if it is respiratory or something else, wouldn't that just stress her? I know many would simply cull, and if I thought she could not fully recover, that might be the thing to do if she continues to decline. Thoughts?

It's not gapeworm, she would be dead by now. It could be the onset of a respiratory disease. Visually inspect her for lice/mites also.

 

[debp]

Thanks for that info. So gapeworm is pretty fast and fatal?

Haven't found any sign of lice or mites on her. So gapeworm acts fast. I started to notice her low energy about 4 or 5 days ago. Comb flop over isn't generally abnormal at this age, is it? Hers has flopped over in the last week, but then so have 2 of the other NH pullets of same age that are acting completely healthy. Their color seems fine. This bird has gone quite pale at times, but then her color comes right back. Right now she's not especially pale.

 

[dawg53]

Thanks for that info. So gapeworm is pretty fast and fatal?

Haven't found any sign of lice or mites on her. So gapeworm acts fast. I started to notice her low energy about 4 or 5 days ago. Comb flop over isn't generally abnormal at this age, is it? Hers has flopped over in the last week, but then so have 2 of the other NH pullets of same age that are acting completely healthy. Their color seems fine. This bird has gone quite pale at times, but then her color comes right back. Right now she's not especially pale.

Birds with gapeworm dont eat and forage. It might be the onset of a respiratory disease.

 

[debp]

She seems no worse today, in fact, maybe a tad better. But still slow and tired. Not breathing through mouth this afternoon. I'm not inclined to antibiotics given I don't know quite what is wrong with her. Can some respiratory problems resolve themselves without antibiotics. I did put vitamins in the water today.

 

[debp]

So, its been about a week that I've noticed that my 22-week old New Hampshire pullet is weak and thin. At night she sometimes breathes through her mouth and holds her wings out, but that is a small portion of the time. She will eat scrambled egg enthusiastically, but everything else she kind of picks at without the gusto typical of my other chickens. But her crop is full at day's end. She does her best to not look sick when foraging with the flock, but she is weak and slow and thin. She does not have mites, lice or any external problems that you can see, her vent looks normal, I can feel no egg. Her comb and legs are a little bit paler than the other New Hampshires. I've have not seen much change in her over the last 3 days. She does seem to have slight diarrhea. This is the bird that I was worried was laying too much too young - everyday starting at 19 weeks, and often huge double-yolked eggs. I don't think she is laying now. I would think I would see signs of respiratory disease progressing (or improving), if it were that. I've given her no meds, except vitamins in the water. I did give Corid for 5 days just about the time she started looking sickly, as two chickens had bloody poops under the roost. I don't think either of them was her, though. I will just keep watching her and separating her for a good part of the day, so she can rest. Has anyone had these sypmtoms in a young hen? I'm thinking the symptoms are probably just too generic to tell what is bothering her, but thought I'd see what follks on this forum think.

 

[Eggcessive]

If 2 of your chickens were having bloody poops and cocci, then she probably had a touch of it. I really think worming her may help, since worms are much harder on chickens than worm medicines. Valbazen is a really good one, gentle, and works over several days. Holding their wings out and breathing with an open beak is fairly common during warm weather or if the coop gets hot during sunny days.

 

[debp]

I was able to get Safeguard equine paste. I think you earlier suggested that was also a gentle wormer, Eggcessive. Hesitating, because I'd have to throw eggs for almost 2 weeks or separate her. Also, our local folks with chickens never worm, and the poultry advisor for 4-H here was very doubtful she would have a load of worms at 22 weeks. But, she is free ranging widely and not improving, so it might be worth a try.