- May 25, 2012
- 11
- 1
- 24
About a week ago as I was closing my coop I noticed one of the chickens gaping, so I ran inside and read on the internet about it. It sounded to me like it could have been that she was just resettling her food, so I decided to watch her for a few days to see if it continued which would indicate a gapeworm or other problem. But even by the time I finished reading and went back out to the coop she had stopped and I haven't seen her doing it again.
Cut to yesterday, I see my rooster laying down in the yard with his eyes closed - I figured he was just enjoying the beautiful sunny day and taking a nap. He tends to do this at a certain point in the afternoon and then gets up after a while and goes about his business. But about 10 minutes later I looked out again to check on him and he is face down on the ground, mouth gaping wide open. I picked him up (he NEVER lets me do this unless he is feeling unwell), and held him for a while, thinking he was dying. After holding him for about half and hour I decided to set him on my couch in a nest of a blanket to hold him up, and allow him to sit comfortably. I put a small bowl of water and electrolytes to his mouth and got him to drink a little bit a few times. After he sat there for about 20 minutes with his eyes closed, he got up slowly and jumped down from the couch, and walked out the back door. He was slow walking around, and for a while would stop, close his eyes, and stand there, but no gaping or falling on his face. He did that for a while, and then went back to normal, eating and walking around, making noises, and put himself to bed in the coop. This morning he seemed fine, though he wasn't crowing as much as usual.
Any thoughts?? I am really worried that they might have gape worm, but I am fearful about dosing them with meds if I don't really know what is going on. Thanks for your help.
Cut to yesterday, I see my rooster laying down in the yard with his eyes closed - I figured he was just enjoying the beautiful sunny day and taking a nap. He tends to do this at a certain point in the afternoon and then gets up after a while and goes about his business. But about 10 minutes later I looked out again to check on him and he is face down on the ground, mouth gaping wide open. I picked him up (he NEVER lets me do this unless he is feeling unwell), and held him for a while, thinking he was dying. After holding him for about half and hour I decided to set him on my couch in a nest of a blanket to hold him up, and allow him to sit comfortably. I put a small bowl of water and electrolytes to his mouth and got him to drink a little bit a few times. After he sat there for about 20 minutes with his eyes closed, he got up slowly and jumped down from the couch, and walked out the back door. He was slow walking around, and for a while would stop, close his eyes, and stand there, but no gaping or falling on his face. He did that for a while, and then went back to normal, eating and walking around, making noises, and put himself to bed in the coop. This morning he seemed fine, though he wasn't crowing as much as usual.
Any thoughts?? I am really worried that they might have gape worm, but I am fearful about dosing them with meds if I don't really know what is going on. Thanks for your help.
