[jacquil58]

Hi

I have been keeping chickens since September 2010 and this year I had some bad luck and lost one of them in an early morning fox attack.  A few weeks later, one of my other girls died of natural causes and we were then down to one.  After a couple of weeks, we introduced 3 new girls, 18 week old Warrens.  After a bit of a dodgy month, Mavis our original finally accepted the new birds (Annie, Vera and Betty) but then we noticed that Vera was sounding very congested and sneezing.  Fortunately, an old friend who is a gamekeeper called in and said it could be 'Gape Worm' because it attacks the respiratory system.  I treated them all with Flubenvet for 7 days.  Within 2 days it was clear that it was worms as they were visible in the waste.  It did however look like it was only Vera that was affected.  A few days after the treatment ended, I thought I had cracked the problem and Vera started to improve but then my original bird Mavis started sneezing and sounds very congested.  All 4 birds were treated with the Flubenvet and before the treatment Mavis wasn't sneezing but she is now and I daren't  give them anymore Flubenvet in case I harm them.  If anyone can advise me on this, I would be very grateful. Already lost 2 birds this year for other reasons and it's so upsetting and I don't want to lose anymore.

Thanks.
Jacqui 

[barley]

hello

I have a chook 1 year old that sneezes - she developed mycoplasmosis

fortunately she doesn't suffer to badly with it and my chooks are all fully vaccinated and it hasn't spread to the others but it possibly could be this come in with the new birds

it is treatable with antibiotics but can be difficult to eradicate it - my vet said she will always now be a carrier of the disease - I have eye drops to put in if it flairs up which seem to help

ANHBUC is a wiz on chicken illnesses - she may post here if she sees this with advice 

[jacquil58]

Hi

Thank you so much for replying, what you say makes a lot of sense.  Mavis seems OK in herself and is eating well and her usual bolshy self with the others and like you say, the new chooks may have introduced the problem.  I'll look into getting some medication to sort it out.

If anyone had said to me a few years ago that I would be keeping chickens in the garden and getting upset when they died, I wouldn't have believed them but I am really enjoying listening to them chuckling away to themselves in the garden and even forgiven them for wrecking all my borders and lawn and getting those wonderful fresh eggs is great!!

Many thanks.
Jacqui

[ANHBUC]

Welcome to the site Jaqui.   

As barley says it does sound like mycoplasma or possibly another respiratory infection.  Your vet will be able to prescribe some antibiotics but most will insist on examining the bird first.  Always check what egg withdrawal the vet recommends when using antibiotics.   

[pepsi100]

What are the symptoms of this ?
I have a young cock, buff orpington, that looks like he is yawning sometimes, he is eating okay, but does sleep on one leg, head under a wing in the garden sometimes

[barley]

What are the symptoms of this ?
I have a young cock, buff orpington, that looks like he is yawning sometimes, he is eating okay, but does sleep on one leg, head under a wing in the garden sometimes

yes pepsi the yawning look is a classic sign of gapeworm

treat it with flubinvet ASAP and it is effective at treating most poultry worm infestations

you might find this link useful http://poultrykeeper.com/poultry-medication/flubenvet-used-for-worming

[pepsi100]

Ah, I started another thread/topic on this titled Flubenvet

It seems I have been giving it to mine for to long (it was in their food (pellets)

As I said in my other thread/topic, I took my chook to the vet and it has a chest infection, but no gape worms (he had a good look, he gave her/him an injection so its a case of wait and see now
But so far she/he hasnt touched any feed

[barley]

yes pepsi just noticed the other thread

its a shame when their poorly -you feel so helpless sometimes

good luck x

[jacquil58]

Hi all

Been keeping chickens for 3 years but this years has been a massive big learning curve for me.  After losing 2 of my original girls this year, I introduced three new girls to my one remaining.  When one of the new girls starting sneezing continually, a friend suggested she may have gape worm.  I treated them all with Flubenvet and sure enough it got rid of the worms but my vet said that they were the wrong colour for gape worm.  The new chicken that was sneezing finally stopped and my oldest one started.  I came on this website and was advised that she might have mycoplasmas so I look her to our vets and he confirmed it.  She's had an injection and all four of them are now being treated with antibiotics for 7 days.  They then have to have 7 clear days after that before we can start eating their eggs again.  We were told that it is a mistake to mix new birds with an old one because they can bring in all sorts with them and in this case they have and my old bird has now picked up the mycoplasmas.  It can be controlled but not eradicated and can come back.  So if anyone else is having these problems, seek help from your vets.  Love my chickens and mortified that in bringing in the new ones, I've left the old one vulnerable but you live and learn.  Thanks to everyone for the replies and I hope that this post may help someone else.

Jacqui

[pepsi100]

I have been through the same kind of problems as you, but I never had any new birds, it was just something that developed, my birds are on the anitibiotics I think, BAYTRIL

The 2 birds I took to the vet are fine, one had an  injection and made a great recovery, the other was just a lazy *, nothing wrong with her (she just liked falling asleep in the sun)

I spent yesterday cleaning out the hen house, disinfecting everything, washing, scrubbing floors

While they on these antibiotics I have to throw the gift of their eggs away, that I can get over, as long as I know they are healthy and enjoying their lives

Glad things worked out well

Yes I did find this thread helpfull, THANKS