Cooks Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Sugar walks around with her beak open, no head shaking, no loss of appetite (far from it) Combs bright red, everythings fine, she's just keeping her beak open. They were wormed recently with flubenvet for the full 7 days, using the grape method. Is this the start of something like gape worm? should I worm again just to be preventative? Any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Mine are doing that at the moment - it seems to be like a dogs panting because they are hot. At least that is what I assumed as they are happy in every other way Does anyone think different? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 I cant eaven see Sugar panting, she's just got her beak open, but I dont want to ignore it and it's the start of something more sinister. They have only just competed a worming dose though, just over a week ago. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fur 'n' Feathers Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 We've read a lot of posts over the months regarding ?gape worm questions. Our cat has chronic airways disease which was set off (and is) by muck-spreading. In the early stages our vet (who treats large animals as well as pets) suggested worming him for lung worm (gape worm). This was explained as a long shot in terms of possible diagnosis as they couldn't get him off the steroids to do a lung swab. There was no effect because it wasn't lung worm. The vet later informed us that lung worm is not at all common, but that their action had been an effort to rule out all possibilities (until we monitored & recognised the muck-spreading component in the equation ). Our Miso was walking around with her beak open at the weekend and so we monitored her for a while. She eventually went to take a drink and some pellets, after which she stopped "gaping" and hasn't since. It has been dry & dusty recently and there are a lot of small flies around. We have to say that gape worm would not be our first consideration. Our understanding is that it is highly unlikely to be a problem unless keeping large numbers of birds on the same soil over a period. If seeing a problem our first response would be to monitor as we did last weekend and then, if concerned to take the hen to the vet and let them diagnose. Repeat worming is not ideal and, if the issue is more likely to be something else, it delays appropriate treatment. We know that many people would consider the vet expensive and a last resort, but they are the experts and there is much to be learned by cultivating a relationship with them. Our vet leaves us to decide when to increase/decrease Rascal's tablets exactly because we have learned so much - and he's still here two and a half years after he ended up in an oxygen tent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevie Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Im no expert,but i just did a bit of research and yes it appears she may have gapeworm from the symptoms your describing. I know you've recently treated them with Flubenvet,but i know from years of dog ownership that worming is not a preventative measure.With dog wormers,the drug is designed to kill any parasites then give it diarohea to completely empty the system-it wont stop reinfection the following day for example. I was looking at at the warnings of Flubenvet and it dont actually say the frequency you treat poultry.If i was in your situation-i'd treat them all again for another full 7 days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 I was thinking exactly this Stevie.. if I do treat them again for another 7 days, is it ok to eat their eggs?? or is it wise to dispose them? I think I read somewhere that if you worm them again quite soon after first dose it's not good to eat the eggs... or am I going nuts.. I can start again tomorrow, but first I must go and buy some grapes, they have demolished my last lot and it's so easy to worm them with the grape method as they love grapes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 I;ve been with Sugar today and she looks fine now... maybe she was just cooling herself off.. I would hate to worm her again unecessarily, so would appreciate some guidance and advice here if possible please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazygal Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 One of my chickens walks round with her beak open and its always when its hot, when it was really hot a few days ago they were all doing it. Today its raining and none of them are. I am no expert, but surely if it was gapeworm your chicken would have its beak open regardless of the weather? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flo Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 I've caught Luci with her beak open twice. Once was a few weeks ago, she was having a good preen then started to open her beak lots. I was worried at first, but it soon stopped so I thought that perhaps it was a bit like when a cat gets a hair ball. I was worming them at the time anyway so wasn't too worried. Then last night, she was outside (quite late for her) and she had been digging in the flower bed when she stopped and just stood there with her beak open. She seemed in a bit of a trance - at first I thought there was something stuck in her throat and she was choking, but she soon pootled off and had a drink and has been fine since. I think it is just something they do, but I am keeping an eye on her incase she has any other symptoms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 I am going to keep an eye on her, she isn't doing it today, and she's well in herself, no other symptoms Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phosphorus Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 Mine do this occasionally, especially when it is hot. I think that is probably more the reason. I think with gapeworm it would be more obvious - shaking of the head, gasping, opening beak and trying to stretch up to get air in. My gut feel is always to leave it a day or so and see if the symptoms continue - so far they have always got me into a panic, only to be right as rain the next hour or day I wouldn't jump straight to reworming. Hope she is better soon or only teasiing you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 Thanks Andrea, Yes i have read and re read about Gape online and it does seem that there would be more to it than just her opening her beak.. I have checked and re checked her today over and over and it's closed.. until I look like I might have food! She jumped on the picnic table yesterday after my dinner! I should have known that the soft cheese with garlic and herbs smell would attract them over.. I am keeping my eye on her and anything else develops or it gets worse in any way I will worm just to be sure, but I hate to do it if she was just trying to cool down a tad!.. dopey mare has loads of shade but chooses to sit in the sun like a lady of leisure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
