Chicken picking at feet

[beckib]

Hi all,

Please help, i dont know whats wrong with Yolko. She has been a little withdrawn recently, off her treats a little. But the noticable thing now is that she is 'rattly' and when she sits she looks like she is yawning, opening her beak and raising her head. She's not completely under the weather she has her moments getting up wandering around and she looks perfectly healthy, nice and clean, bright red comb and laying every day. although when i caught her yesterday i was suprised that she wasn't quite as heavy as i expected. Shes a Buff Orpington and is very fluffy so to look at she seems ok, but comparing her to my other hen which is a Rhode Island red she is very light.

I have been trying to worm her for a couple of days, but she has now realised that the grapes she is being given are not as nice as they should be, so am struggling a little with how to get the Flubenvet into her.

Any advice would be more than welcome, i dont want her to be poorly.

Thanks peeps

x

[brambles]

aw bless, if you search 'worming' or flubenvet there are some experiences of people who did it in different ways - I seem to remember someone mixing a few pellets with it and using a very small amount of veg oil to help it bind.

 

Hope she's soon better.

[beckib]

Thanks for your support, i've decided to get her in at the vets, just in case.....fingers crossed.

[quickcluck]

How is she? What did they say?

[chelsea]

rattling could be a sign of a respiratory infection so you've done the right thing by going to the vets anyway.

 

hope she's ok.

[beckib]

Well it has now cost me £17 to diagnose my own chicken.

Although the vet ws very helpful he admitted he doesn't know a great deal about birds. i explained her symptoms and told him my suspicions of respiritary infection or gapeworm. After listening to her chest, even though it seemed reasonably clear, he was going to treat for a bacterial chest infection just to be cautious, if that didn't work we would look at trying the worming. Just before he precribed baytrill she started doing the yawning thing with her mouth open, i explained that this was what she kept doing and he went off for the second time to look it up and speak to his colleagues.

He then came back and agreed that her symptoms were more like gapeworm rather than an infection.

He has advised for me to continue worming her, which i am now syringing to guarantee she gets the dose, if she is no better in a week or so i am to take her back.

This afternoon she has got up and and seems little brighter. Its funny how that happens, its almost like they know they will have to go back to the vets if they dont buck up!

Anyway, i think i will be spoiling her a little just to regain her trust.....and because she's special

[quickcluck]

Well, it's ironic, but at least you know now that you are doing the right thing! I hope she continues to improve

[sandyhas3chucks]

this might seem stupid to ask you, but you know the dose for gapeworm is double do you?

[beckib]

No it doesn't sound stupid, especially as i didn't know...i'm pleased you mentioned it. Although as it stands i have probably have been giving them a little more because its so hard to measure.

 

I have been putting the tip of a sharp knife in the powder and putting on a grape (although i am now mixing it with water and syringing it straight into her mouth to ensure she gets the dose), They have probably been getting the equivelant to the same size as a peppercorn maybe a little smaller does this sound about right?

[sandyhas3chucks]

I have a feeling that someone posted pictures having measure the precise amounts. It was very useful. perhaps you could search. I can only tell you what i do cannot remember where I read but if half a grape dipped is a dose for one then I dipped 2 halves for a gape worm dose.

Is her crop full? hard or soft. or squishy. is it empty in the morning. oh I think if you go to health section and crop problems the last likk bonnie I think has a bit about a light shone down throat, shows a ape worm. will go off now & look.

Sooo good of the vet to tell you eh?

[sandyhas3chucks]

If this link works it might be useful

search.php?st=0&sk=t&sd=d&keywords=%2Bgapeworm++

If not do a search for gapeworm and torch

 

A search for just gapeworm will give you links to others asking the same question and am sure the answer will be there also,

good luck