Gapeworms???

Rossie Sussex

Hi everyone,

Yesterday I discovered that two of my Pekin chickens were stretching their necks, making funny gurgling noises and gasping for air. I thought initially that there was something stuck in their throats but they were still eating and drinking ok. I brought them to the vet and she said they had gapeworms. She dosed the two chickens. Shortly after we got home, one of them died. In the evening I noticed some of my other birds had the same symptoms. We dosed those birds last night. This morning, the little Pekin chicken seems to be well on the mend but one of my 7/8 week old barnevelders is not good.

Can anyone please tell me where these pests have come from and how I can prevent this happening to more of my birds.
Is there anything I can do to help my baby barnevelder???
We have had fowl around the house since I can remember and we have never had this problem.

Thanks very much,

Ruth

MARIA

Hi Ruth
None of our birds had this but from reading a poultry health book, it says that they get gapeworm from slugs and snails etc that are infected with them. The symptoms are gasping, coughing, closed eyes, head drawn in, yawning and head shaking. The gapeworm attaches its head to the lining of the birds windpipe. It says that the worms are big enough to see if you look down the birds throat.It also says that it is most serious in young birds.The first infected bird coughs up worm eggs or they come out in the droppings and this is how the rest of the birds get infected. They say you can treat them with flubenvet but the infected birds should be isolated. Hope this helps.
Maria.

Rossie Sussex

Hi Maria,

Thank you for your help. You have made it more understandable. Update this morning, my little barnevelder baby is still alive and is improving.

Thanks again,

Ruth

The Gizz Myster

Gape worm isn't nearly as common as it was years ago. I wouldn't rule out a respiratory problem as the symptons can be almost identical but the treatments entirely different.

Rossie Sussex

Hi The Gizz Myster

Thanks for your reply. I still think its gapeworm though, they have pink/red in their droppings that are like worms. Some of my birds are better but some are still sick and a few more have contracted it. I'v dosed and dosed them but it doesn't seem to be working as well as it should. There is also a strange smell in the hen house.

Any other ideas???

Ruth