Suspected gapeworm in chick

[Quacks and clucks]

I have a lone chick due to a cat attack and her being the only survivor, she is an 8 week old exchequer leghorn and is extremely friendly, so much so that she spends all day with me on my shoulder, recently I’ve noticed her ‘gaping’ where she stretches her neck out and opens her beak as wide as she can, initially I thought it was her choking on the chopped maize treat I give her as it’s basically a powder, but a few days on and she’s beginning to have trouble breathing and seems to want to spend al day sleeping… I’ve kept chickens in my garden for over 5 years now and we’ve never had a worm issue so I can’t work out if it’s gapeworm or potentially a respiratory issue? She has a runny nose occasionally but no blockages or gunk on her beak, her poops are completely normal and when she’s outside she is completely fine in herself… I’ve given her ACV which made her breathing improve a bit but I’m beginning to worry she’s in the later stages of gapeworm, I’ve bought flubenvet but it’s not arriving for another 6 days and I’m worried she won’t last that long as I’m not sure how quickly gapeworm can kill a chicken. Does anyone have any suggestions of what I can do whilst we wait for the medication? Is it really gapeworm?

 

[Eggcessive]

Is she able to eat and drink? Gapeworm is rare, but respiratory infection or adjusting the crop are more common and resemble gaping. The nasal drainage may be respiratory, and I would look for any bubbles or foam in either eye. Can you get Panacur horse or goat paste from a feed or farm store, or from a vet? That will treat gapeworms and most other worms, if you give it 0.25 ml per pound orally for 3-5 days.

 

[nuthatched]

She's most likely adjusting her crop.

 

[Quacks and clucks]

Is she able to eat and drink? Gapeworm is rare, but respiratory infection or adjusting the crop are more common and resemble gaping. The nasal drainage may be respiratory, and I would look for any bubbles or foam in either eye. Can you get Panacur horse or goat paste from a feed or farm store, or from a vet? That will treat gapeworms and most other worms, if you give it 0.25 ml per pound orally for 3-5

Her eyes seem normal and bright but I will keep an eye on them, I’m going to call the local feed store tomorrow morning to see if they have that! Thank you so much for your help