Hello all, new chicken owner here. This week I received my two 16wk old Australorp girls. So far everything is going well and they are settling in to their new home. One of the chickens has a bit of runny poop but I put that down to a change in diet. Today this same chicken is "gaping" a bit. She seems pert and is eating well but every few minutes will open her beak and extend her neck a bit. I've heard that they can do this sometimes to aid in digestion. Now, I'm the first to admit that I can be a little over-reactive when it comes to animal health and I'm concerned that it might be gapeworm. I don't know my chickens well enough to know whats normal for them. Would I be better off getting some wormer and treating them just in case or taking the wait-and-see approach? If I should be worming then what is the preferred product of choice and where do I get it from? Vet, Ag-store, petstore?
This message was edited Feb 9, 2008 8:57 PM
Gapeworm???
try some garlic, minced up and soaked overnight in apple cider vinegar, then add some to their water. it is for prevention, not cure. but she may not have anything. also, sprinkle dried chamomile [flowers or tea] in their pen. they will naturally want to eat some of it, it is good for them. and it will help to break down the poop, reduce odors, and fight fungus...
do a google on gapeworm if it won't freak you out... you should find some forums with pictures and suggestions...
you can ask a question here as well, they deal with chickens a lot:
www.guineafowl.com/board
Thanks for the tips and the link TamaraFaye. I have plain ACV in their water but not garlic. I'll add some today.
I've searched for gapeworm on various other forums but haven't found anything on the progression of it yet. I'll keep searching. If it soes turn out to be gapeworm the farmer I bought them from has a big job ahead of him. He has over 100 birds!
the garlic works best if allowed to sit at least overnite "infusing" its properties into the ACV...
if the farmers birds are crtowded then infestation is likely, but if free ranged they may be perfectly healthy. we recently bought Australorps from a farmer who hatched out HUNDREDS of chickens, but they were all free ranged & rec'd no antibiotics in their starter feed, so they are healthy happy birds!
we just the other day got a nice roo for them & are waiting now for fertile eggs...
i know their is good g-worm info at guineafowl.com & also an ask the vet forum & an herbal forum...
funny, i am from Cali, & DH from Burlington VT!
Ooo, that sounds tasty LOL.... and smelly. How much ACV should I be putting in the water?
The farmer free ranges his chickens too. I believe he's trying to breed a really high quality dual-purpose Australorp. He used mostly alternative methods of pest control with his flock, so as far as I know they have never been wormed or had anti-b's.
Today she is still yawning away, but now sign of any head shaking or rasping breath. I'll look for some info on those other sits now.
Which part of CA are you from?
This message was edited Feb 10, 2008 9:44 PM
can't remember how much per gallon of water, i just pour till it seems right LOL. you need to start easy on it till the birds accept it, or they will just look for dierty water to drink. then gradually increase it. i started mine on it when they were 1 week old chicks. but they lived elsewhere for six months and now prefer rain or pond water LOL. so sometimes i just keep them locked up for a few days with their "medicine water".
Thanks Tamara