Two-month long respiratory illness? Need advice

[darlingdarla]

I'm not sure how accurate it would be by swabbing the throat. I would say if an infestation is severe, you may find something.

No, you won't need to treat them in a couple of weeks. The Safeguard is given for 5 days, that should take care of it.

When you get the weights, post them, I'll help you with the dosages.

Okay, thank you very much.

 

[darlingdarla]

Alright, so my hens are...
6 lbs 2oz
6 lbs
5 lbs 4oz
3 lbs 6oz (Bantam)
5 lbs 6oz
6 lbs 4oz
1 lb 5oz (smaller bantam)

I did a little math... For a six-pound hen, the dosage for Safeguard would be 1.38 ml correct? Just trying to get the math right so I can do this again in the future if needed. I'm starting them on it tomorrow.
Something I realized today, one of my hens has been having trouble swallowing the last few days, when she eats she juts her head out and in and clicks her beak together, and when she drinks she tilts her head way up into the air to swallow. I've been trying to fix this, I figured she might be dehydrated, but she was drinking plenty of water, so I switched the flock onto a wet mash the last two days, but nothing improved. Now I think she has the gapeworm and can't swallow normally. What are your thoughts on this?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Alright, so my hens are...
6 lbs 2oz
6 lbs
5 lbs 4oz
3 lbs 6oz (Bantam)
5 lbs 6oz
6 lbs 4oz
1 lb 5oz (smaller bantam)

I did a little math... For a six-pound hen, the dosage for Safeguard would be 1.38 ml correct? Just trying to get the math right so I can do this again in the future if needed. I'm starting them on it tomorrow.
Something I realized today, one of my hens has been having trouble swallowing the last few days, when she eats she juts her head out and in and clicks her beak together, and when she drinks she tilts her head way up into the air to swallow. I've been trying to fix this, I figured she might be dehydrated, but she was drinking plenty of water, so I switched the flock onto a wet mash the last two days, but nothing improved. Now I think she has the gapeworm and can't swallow normally. What are your thoughts on this?

Your math is correct.
The hen you mention, have you looked inside her beak for any canker or lesions? Is her crop empty by morning?
If you are dealing with Gapeworm, the safeguard for 5 days in a row will take care of those.

Here's the doses for each one if you need them:
6 lbs 2oz = 1.42ml
6 lbs = 1.38ml
5 lbs 4oz = 1.24ml
3 lbs 6oz (Bantam) = 0.83ml
5 lbs 6oz = 1.29ml
6 lbs 4oz = 1.47ml
1 lb 5oz (smaller bantam) = 0.35ml

 

[darlingdarla]

Your math is correct.
The hen you mention, have you looked inside her beak for any canker or lesions? Is her crop empty by morning?
If you are dealing with Gapeworm, the safeguard for 5 days in a row will take care of those.

Here's the doses for each one if you need them:
6 lbs 2oz = 1.42ml
6 lbs = 1.38ml
5 lbs 4oz = 1.24ml
3 lbs 6oz (Bantam) = 0.83ml
5 lbs 6oz = 1.29ml
6 lbs 4oz = 1.47ml
1 lb 5oz (smaller bantam) = 0.35ml

I've checked her all over, looked down her throat best I could (checked a day our two ago as well), no canker, nothing that stands out as odd and yes, her crop is empty every morning, she is ten months old, lays regularly. I can maybe try to get a video of her eating tomorrow. My poor flock, everything is so messed up right now. Thanks for helping me with the dosages and everything else.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I've checked her all over, looked down her throat best I could (checked a day our two ago as well), no canker, nothing that stands out as odd and yes, her crop is empty every morning, she is ten months old, lays regularly. I can maybe try to get a video of her eating tomorrow. My poor flock, everything is so messed up right now. Thanks for helping me with the dosages and everything else.

Look forward to the video.

 

[darlingdarla]

Look forward to the video.

Here are the links: I have two videos.

I hope they work, I'm letting the birds eat a little before I give them the safeguard.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Looks like she's eating in a hurry and taking breaths in between. The strecthing of the neck, to me anyway, is getting the food to go down and adjusting the crop.

It's fine to let them eat before giving the safeguard, but it would be more effective if you dose them first thing and withhold food for the first couple of hours while the crop is empty. Of course, water should always be available.

 

[darlingdarla]

Looks like she's eating in a hurry and taking breaths in between. The strecthing of the neck, to me anyway, is getting the food to go down and adjusting the crop.

It's fine to let them eat before giving the safeguard, but it would be more effective if you dose them first thing and withhold food for the first couple of hours while the crop is empty. Of course, water should always be available.

Alright I'll give them the Safeguard first tommorow.
I guess that makes sense, she's lower on the pecking order so she often gets chased away from food.
If it's gapeworm, will the wheezing stop by the fifth day of treatment? Or will it take some time for the worms to be expelled?

 

[FlyingNunFarm]

I recently found out you can give chickens guaifenesin. The active ingredient in Musinex. You can get it in pill form as an only ingredient and dissolve in water.
It may help loosen any phlegm like material she is trying to deal with.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Alright I'll give them the Safeguard first tommorow.
I guess that makes sense, she's lower on the pecking order so she often gets chased away from food.
If it's gapeworm, will the wheezing stop by the fifth day of treatment? Or will it take some time for the worms to be expelled?

You should see some results within a few days.

Depending on your set-up, you can try adding another feed station, that may reduce stress in trying to eat in a hurry.