What are gapeworm symptoms???

[Chick3nLover]

My hen has been yawing and shaking her head a bit more (that I’ve noticed) and I’m totally freaking out. Is it gapeworm? How do I know? What else could it be?

 

[SandyRiverChick]

Can also be respiratory infection. Any sneezing ?

 

[Chick3nLover]

Can also be respiratory infection. Any sneezing ?

Nope. Not that I’ve noticed. She seemed to be laying down a couple days ago, but through the weekend she seems FANTASTIC. Then just tonight around 6:00pm 40mins before our sun sets, I noticed her laying down, and then I noticed a few yawns and head shakes, she also almost seems to be shaking a very almost unnoticeable bit every so often.

Should I give her something to help her Respiratory?

 

[Eggcessive]

It could also be a sign of her adjusting her crop. Is there any way that you could upload a video to a source such as YouTube or Vimeo or Imgur with a link posted here? According to some, gapeworms make a chicken gasp for air so much that they cannot eat or drink. Have you wormed your chickens recently?

 

[Chick3nLover]

Nope. Not that I’ve noticed. She seemed to be laying down a couple days ago, but through the weekend she seems FANTASTIC. Then just tonight around 6:00pm 40mins before our sun sets, I noticed her laying down, and then I noticed a few yawns and head shakes, she also almost seems to be shaking a very almost unnoticeable bit every so often.

Should I give her something to help her Respiratory?

I’m just actually so scared of Gape worm!

 

[Kiki]

I’m just actually so scared of Gape worm!

Don't be scared about gapeworm because it's highly unlikely.
It is much more likely that you're dealing with a respiratory disease.

Hopefully it's not a respiratory disease.
Can you take a video of her and upload it to YouTube?
Have you brought any new to you bird home in the last few months?

 

[Chick3nLover]

Don't be scared about gapeworm because it's highly unlikely.
It is much more likely that you're dealing with a respiratory disease.

Hopefully it's not a respiratory disease.
Can you take a video of her and upload it to YouTube?
Have you brought any new to you bird home in the last few months?

I don’t know if I can upload a video, I’ll look into though. Also yes, we recently, in the last 2 months, brought in a new coop and just finished moving them in last week and early this week. We also got four new baby chicks but they don’t live on the ground near the hens. They live in the same yard but the chicks live in an above ground brooder for the first probably 8 weeks.

Since we’re thinking it may be respiratory, I’ll give her some VetRX, because that’s what I currently have, and see if that helps. I know there are mixed opinions on VetRx being legit or a waste of money, but I tend to try to do, as much aspossible, natural cures. But if there is an antibiotic or probiotic that is going to really help her, I’m always willing to try.

 

[Chick3nLover]

It could also be a sign of her adjusting her crop. Is there any way that you could upload a video to a source such as YouTube or Vimeo or Imgur with a link posted here? According to some, gapeworms make a chicken gasp for air so much that they cannot eat or drink. Have you wormed your chickens recently?

No, I have not wormed my chickens. Like ever. I didn’t even know that was a thing until recently this year.

 

[Eggcessive]

Respiratory infections and crop problems can cause gaping as well as gapeworm. Gapeworm is one of the rare worms. If you are very scared about it, call your vet and ask if you can collect some fresh droppings in a ziploc bag, and if they will do a fecal float. Some vet in your area hopefully would do that. It can cost $30-40. My regular do vet would do it. SafGuard Liquid Goat Wormer or Horse paster can treat it. Dosage for gapeworms is 0.25 ml per pound of weight given for 5 days.

 

[SandyRiverChick]

No, I have not wormed my chickens. Like ever. I didn’t even know that was a thing until recently this year.

Worming really isn't a thing, you're right. And neither is anything really, you just might think it is when you see posts about "it." Like "sour crop" "crop this and that" Just because something "can" happen doesn't mean it's common. In my 20 years I've dealt with Respiratory infection once after adding new chickens so this is why Quantining is important; Coccidiosis once, Bumblefoot twice, lost 1 to a predator. To me these stats mean that really nothing much happens to Chickens..... How is your chicken today? Any new symptoms?