Anyone know much about gapeworm in hens?

laxeylady

One of our Marans died at the weekend and we are blaming ourselves. She was gasping and rasping a little on Friday and shaking her head a lot so we googled and decided it was probably worms. We bought treatment (Flubonvet) which takes 7 days to administer. She picked up on Saturday and was eating and drinking. Then on Sunday afternoon Hubby found her in the coop gasping for breath. He pulled her out (the visiting cockerel flew at him over this) and tried to see if she was choking or whatever and a few seconds later she died in his hands. Our boys were devastated (we had to bury her with full honours). Was it gapeworm? Will continuing the treatment prevent the others dropping off the stick? We should have taken her to the vets obviously but new to this chicken lark - a hard lesson learnt. Anyone any tips for getting the treatment down their necks faster?

spirit

It sounds like it probably was gapeworm. Flub is the right treatment to administer for it. It might have been that the infestaion had too much of a hold by the time treatment started.

There is an ongoing chicken thread on here where you should get more answers.
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4876

Davesnave

You did exactly the right thing, so even a visit to the vet might have achieved nothing more. Flubenvet is good, but it's a pain to mix up and administer accurately, so one has to dose for a week to assume every bird has had enough. I think we treat ours every 6 months, but I'd need to ask the 'boss' to be sure!

Visiting the vet whenever a chicken is ill just isn't MSE, and this is especially true if your vet has no specialism in chooks. Some are next to useless. For those occasions when you might want to go, it's therefore good to prepare and find one who really knows their stuff.

ljonski

Harkers Harka-Mectin is what i used 2 weeks ago and undoubtedly saved its life . Place 2 drops on back of neck underneath feathers. Hth

spirit

Davesnave wrote: »

You did exactly the right thing, so even a visit to the vet might have achieved nothing more. Flubenvet is good, but it's a pain to mix up and administer accurately, so one has to dose for a week to assume every bird has had enough. I think we treat ours every 6 months, but I'd need to ask the 'boss' to be sure!

Visiting the vet whenever a chicken is ill just isn't MSE, and this is especially true if your vet has no specialism in chooks. Some are next to useless. For those occasions when you might want to go, it's therefore good to prepare and find one who really knows their stuff.

I agree about the dosage of Flub. I have 12 hens and find the easiest way to ensure that they all get it is to put a tiny bit on half a grape (they all love grapes) and hand feed each hen so you know they all have it.

ionahenor2

spirit wrote: »

I agree about the dosage of Flub. I have 12 hens and find the easiest way to ensure that they all get it is to put a tiny bit on half a grape (they all love grapes) and hand feed each hen so you know they all have it.

I do that too but with Gape worm I think you need to make it a stronger dose.

ionahenor2

ljonski wrote: »

Harkers Harka-Mectin is what i used 2 weeks ago and undoubtedly saved its life . Place 2 drops on back of neck underneath feathers. Hth

Thanks. Never heard of this. Did you have to do egg withdrawal?

We are being plagued by a crow who likes to go in the girls pen when the door is open andthey are FR. He scoffs everything in sight. No doubt he'll be leaving them something in return. Not sure if lice live long off a bird?

Davesnave

ljonski wrote: »

Harkers Harka-Mectin is what i used 2 weeks ago and undoubtedly saved its life . Place 2 drops on back of neck underneath feathers. Hth

Harka Mectin is not full strength ivermectin and the dose of 2 drops is for pigeons, so hens really need more, according to weight. People should do their own research on this, but accidental overdosing seems unlikely.

Ivermectin is used on humans in less developed regions of the world, but the general feeling is that egg withdrawal should be practised. Some say a week, others more, but I'd be OK with a week myself.

Re crows: we've found that suspending the feeders under a corrugated iron shelter, with black net curtains draped at each end is enough. They want to, but they won't go inside! :rotfl:

spirit

ionahenor2 wrote: »

Thanks. Never heard of this. Did you have to do egg withdrawal?

We are being plagued by a crow who likes to go in the girls pen when the door is open andthey are FR. He scoffs everything in sight. No doubt he'll be leaving them something in return. Not sure if lice live long off a bird?

Mine haven't had lice - yet! I'm sure I have that delight yet to come.

I have read on a chicken forum that people give their birds Frontline (for cats). It is stressed though that FL isn't licenced for birds.

leosrfab

easiest way i've found is to phone marriages direct give them the number of hens you have they will tell you the bag size with flub in it(best for 10 or more girls) and give only this feed for 7 days , this works for me in essex not sure if this is nationwide costs me £18 for 20kg bag of pellets with delivery:) hth