The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: zeeteecee on July 17, 2011, 06:44:49 pm

Title: gapeworm?
Post by: zeeteecee on July 17, 2011, 06:44:49 pm

I think one of two of my hens have gapeworm symptoms.
coughing (or clearing the throat/sneezing) but with no discharge,
loss of appetite,
head shaking,
and some looser poops, of many a colour and hue!

BUT..... they're off their food so how does one get the flubenvet into them?
all ideas gratefully accepted!
 :chook: ???

Title: Re: gapeworm?
Post by: little blue on July 17, 2011, 07:01:17 pm

we had to dose ours last year with wormer & anti-biotics ... by syringe.
40-odd birds, from week old quail to aylsebury ducks, every night for 3 days, then again a week or something later...

very dirty, messy job, but worth it!

Title: Re: gapeworm?
Post by: zeeteecee on July 17, 2011, 07:08:42 pm

I rather thought it would be something like that!!!
shame flubenvet isn't water soluble!

oh joy! I'll contact vet in the morning!
 ::)

Title: Re: gapeworm?
Post by: goosepimple on July 17, 2011, 07:28:32 pm

Feeding them some in water via a small 5ml syringe you can get from your chemist shop is actually easier than you think, so long as you can have someone else hold them at the shoulder on a flat surface to stop their wings flapping, then you just bend back their head and open their beak, my hens have always given in quite easily to this actually, give them a couple of squirts of the liquid - not too much at a time or they will gurggle it up.  You'll be a bit nervous first few times but after that you'll do it just fine... do it with confidence, it'll be quicker and less traumatic for the hen.  You can do it.  Good luck.

Title: Re: gapeworm?
Post by: zeeteecee on July 17, 2011, 07:57:08 pm

hi goosepimple,
I'm well used to injecting, syringing etc-my 'Oh Joy' was the fact that there's 20 of em!

lol!