The Poultry Keeper

chrislee765 · Joined: 09 Oct 2005 Posts: 47 Location: Hayling Island

One of my hens keeps opening her mouth really wide repeatidly as if shes yawning.

There is a chainsaw going in a neighbours garden which they all seem frightened off, but ive never seen this before. She seems fine in all other aspects.

Any ideas?

chrislee765 · Joined: 09 Oct 2005 Posts: 47 Location: Hayling Island

seems they are all doing it in turns now.

Could it be a defensive thing, because of the chainsaw?

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

hello, I suppose it could be an alarm thing, but there is also a condition that causes chickens to open their mouths wide. I think it's called gape worm ~ maybe you could do a google and see if the symptoms are the same as your girls. I believe it is easily dealt with but can't remember how, sorry.
I just did a quick google and it can be treated with flubenvent I think it is, which is what you use for general worming. Hope that helps

stephen · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 11:41 am Post subject:

Try this bit of info in the wiki on gapeworm

Knobby · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 12:11 pm Post subject:

Yep, sounds like gape worm to me !!

1 Chicken Smuggler · Joined: 11 Dec 2005 Posts: 178

Here is some more info that may help you, if it is gapeworm.

The gapeworm (Syngamus trachea) is a round red worm that attach to the trachea (windpipe) of birds and causes the disease referred to as "gapes". The term describes the open-mouth breathing characteristic of gapeworm-infected birds. Heavily infected birds usually emit a grunting sound because of the difficulty in breathing and many die from suffocation. The worms can easily block the trachea, so they are particularly harmful to young birds.
The gapeworm is sometimes designated as the "red-worm"; or "forked-worm" because of its red color and because the male and female are joined in permanent copulation. They appear like the letter Y. The female is the larger of the two and is one-fourth to one inch in length. The male gapeworm may attain a length of one-fourth inch. Both sexes attach to the lining of the trachea with their mouthparts. Sufficient numbers may accumulate in the trachea to hinder air passage.

The life cycle of the gapeworm is similar to that of the cecal worm; the parasite can be transmitted when birds eat embryonated worm eggs or earthworms containing the gapeworm larvae. The female worm lays eggs in the trachea, the eggs are coughed up, swallowed, and pass out in the droppings. Within eight to fourteen days the eggs embryonate and are infective when eaten by birds or earthworms. The earthworm, snails and slugs serve as primary intermediate hosts for the gapeworm. Gapeworms in infected earthworms remain viable for four and a half years while those in snails and slugs remain infective for one year. After being consumed by the bird, gapeworm larvae hatch in the intestine and migrate from the intestine to the trachea and lungs.

Gapeworms infect chickens, turkeys, guinea fowl, pheasants, chukar partridge, and probably other birds. Young birds reared on soil of infected range pens are at high risk (pen-raised game birds). Some control or reduction in infection density (worms/bird) is achieved by alternating the use of range pens every other year and/or using a pen for only one brood each year. Tilling the soil in the pens at the end of the growing season helps to reduce the residual infection. Treating the soil to eliminate earthworms, snails and slugs is possible but the cost is usually prohibitive.

Gapeworms are best prevented by administering a wormer at fifteen to thirty day intervals or including a drug at low levels continuously beginning fifteen days after birds are placed in the infected pens. One drug that is effective for eliminating gapeworms is fenbendazole, however, its use is not presently approved for use in birds by the Food and Drug Administration.

1 Chicken Smuggler · Joined: 11 Dec 2005 Posts: 178

Here is an after thought,if you can`t see any thing down the throat and you want to check,if it is gapeworm,you may want to try this--if it isn`t illegal where you are.
Make a salt brine, or steep tobacco in water for ten minutes. Pour one teaspoonful of either mixture down the chicken's throat. Then, keeping its head up, close the bird's nose holes and count slowly to five Next hold the patient by the feet, head down, and it will usually cough, sputter and evict the worms.

Aussie Chick · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 1:45 pm Post subject:

1 Chicken Smuggler · Joined: 11 Dec 2005 Posts: 178

Aussie Chick
Why are you shocked--that is an old time remedy for gapeworm before the modern meds.

Aussie Chick · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 4:48 pm Post subject:

I'm fairly new to chickens so didnt know that before! You've opened my eyes to a new thing! thanks Laughing

1 Chicken Smuggler · Joined: 11 Dec 2005 Posts: 178

You are quite Welcome.I`m not sure what is legal in other countries ,so I don`t post all the tricks I know--but do have some old time remedies as well as the chemical meds for treatments of today.I prefer todays remedies because a lot of the old time remedies and the natural remedies can take a long time to work.

chrislee765 · Joined: 09 Oct 2005 Posts: 47 Location: Hayling Island

I didnt get back till late, so only saw the hens for 10mins before they went to bed.
I didnt notice any of them doing it then.
If they are doing it tomorrow i presume its gape worm and will get some
Flubenvet asap.

chrislee765 · Joined: 09 Oct 2005 Posts: 47 Location: Hayling Island

Is there anywhere online that sells Flubenvet and other poultry drugs/supplements?
Thanks

debcat · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 6:20 pm Post subject:

jaydee67 · Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2005 6:21 pm Post subject:

From Golden Nuggets section:

flubenvet suppliers