Respiratory Problem

[Lilbitchickenkeeper]

Ok I as just out assessing my flock when I noticed on of my hens sporatically coughing. It sounded kinda wet like she was trying to cough up something. Or she did this half sneeze half cough. She is periodically outstretching her neck. She was easy to catch and that was weird as she doesnt get near me at all normally. I think it might be gapeworm but I did not see any worms in her throat. I will check again because I did not use a flashlight and did not see well in there. There is no runny nose but I did notice when she did cough she did have some clear fluid when she coughed. Possible gape or or an obstruction. I felt down her neck and she did not cough and I did not feel anything obvious except a small round knot just below her beak but I am pretty sure that was normal.

If it is gapeworm what is the treatment? Do I need an dewormer? If my flock is sick I am not scared to use medications but prefer to stay holistic and avoid the big guns if at all possible. Since she is sick I can quarantine easily and treat her. Or do I need to treat the entire flock? Thanks

 

[Eggcessive]

Gapeworm is rare, and to my knowledge, you cannot see the red Y-shaped worms by looking or swabbing the throat. It can be seen on necropsy after death by dissecting the trachea. More likely, you may be seeing a respiratory disease, since gapeworms make it hard to eat or drink. Fenbendazole (SafeGuard, Panacur) can be used for 3 straight days at a dose of 1/4 ml per pound, to treat gapeworms. In the UK, other medications are used in the feed, such as flubenvet, but that is not available here in the US.

Respiratory infections can cause gaping, head shaking, rattly or wheezy breathing, watery eyes, nasal drainage, and sneezing or coughing. ILT, coryza, infectious bronchitis, and mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) are common ones. ILT and IB are caused by viruses, and will not repond to antibiotics. MG and coryza may respond to Tylan 50 from the feed store, and coryza may also be treated with sulfa antibiotics from your vet. Here is a link to read about those and their symptoms:
https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is an article to read about gapeworms:
https://poultrykeeper.com/respiratory-problems/gapeworm/

 

[dawg53]

Eggcessive is correct. Gapeworms are rare in chickens. You cant see worms in the trachea even with a flashlight, that's where gapeworms would be located. The best way to tell if gapeworms are present is submitting a fresh fecal sample to a vet for testing. There will be gapeworm eggs in feces and the vet should be able to identify them as such. There also may be other types of worms eggs present and the vet should distinguish what types are present in the sample.