[Silkysmooth]

Hi All,

I asked on the threads for advice for one of my chickens (Rhode island red) coughing up worms and gasping for air last week. I consulted a vet but she died a day after. he prescribed the Flubenvet with antibiotic cover. I do an necropsy of the bird as I was interested to see if this was gapeworm. There were signs of inflammation and exudate in many areas of the trachea and there was an infection in the lungs but no signs of the worms that the bird had been coughing up previously!

Today I went to my chickens on the allotment and found another one of the rhode islands (same batch as the other Rhode island) in respiratory distress and gasping for air. They have all been treated with flubenvet in their food for 6 days now and I am really despairing at the thought of another chicken dying! especially as I have commenced the treatment and they looked very healthy birds and in good form.

I will go and consult the vet as I fear the rest of the flock getting the same thing....

advice would be very much appreciated!

[Aunt Sally]

What were the worms like that the hen coughed up ?

[joyfull]

is the second one coughing up worms as well or just gasping? is it's chest rattly? If no worms with this one then it may have a respiritory infection that will need antibiotics to treat it.

[Silkysmooth]

there is dryed mucus all around the birds mouth and around its head. Its been sneezing a few times and is still gasping for air. The vet recommended that I leave her till tomorrow and send her to a specialist avian vet in manchester.

do you think I will need to use flubenvet every 3 weeks if this has happened and it is worms?

[Silkysmooth]

sorry - there was no worms visible but then again the other one only coughed them up for 2 hours when we first saw she was ill and then not more until she died.

The poor thing is gasping for air and her eyes are barely open

Please get your chickens wormed!!