Really worried about worms...

[Scarlet]

Nicos - maybe that's because I'm not making a very good job of looking after them!
?

I agree with Nicos, you are doing everything for them and actually spotting the problems that every hen keeper has - unfortunately there's not that many hen keepers that notice problems and quite often when they do they ignore them or get rid and happily get some new ones.

[kathyd]

Well thank you, you make me feel much better . I thought I'd wait and see how things pan out with the cockerels, but I'm prepared to get rid of one, or even both, of them if they give my hens any problems. Might have to toughen up a bit first though

[Nicos]

I have 2 brothers...both banties...and 15 gals
The boys have worked it out between themselves

[kathyd]

That sounds promising Nicos . Maybe they'll get along OK then, fingers crossed. Still worried about the size though - hanging on in the hopes one of them's gay or very shy . Although he's bigger than the other 2 (so far anyway), he's always been a bit of a loner, and he runs from them if they say Boo to him, and even sometimes when they don't... He often misses out on the afternoon Mealworms treat, and comes to find me later to see if I've got any left, bless him. Don't suppose it'll last, but he's very sweet at the moment . The other one I'm keeping is the runty one, although he's grown a lot recently and seems to be catching up unfortunately. He's also less pushy than the one I'm re-homing, was my buddy for a while, and looks a bit more dozy than the others. I live in (probably misguided) hope..

[Scarlet]

I had to get rid of a very tame bantie cockerel this year, he kept flying into my separated Sussex girls and was terrorising the big Sussex cockerel with them - to be honest it was amusing to see this tiny thing chase him round and round a tree but as soon as I saw him actually attack he had to go. He would fly out to greet me and walk with me back to the fence for it to be lifted it to let him back in pretty sad to see him go but I just couldn't contain him.

[Nicos]

I don't know if you recall Scarlet, but my smallest bantie mum attacked Albert...our peacock... when he flew into their enclosure...you could actually see the confusion on his face when he looked down at this tiny thing sparring and pecking visciously at his knees!

If any of my gals accidentally fly over the electric fence the No.2 cockerel will often fly over and stay with them...funny little things!

[kathyd]

Lol, they do develop their own little characters don't they . I've never had to choose to part with a bird I like yet, I'm not looking forward to it!

[rosiepumpkin]

Not that chickens are humans, but pumpkin seeds are herbal medicine treatment for intestinal worms in humans.

[Nicos]

^^^^^^ I'd not heard of that....and found this.... ( point 2)

The Chicken Chick®: 5 Healthy Treats for Chickens AND 3 Food Myths, Busted!

But hey...why not give them the seeds....looks like they're good for them anyway....and an added bonus even if they help with worming a small amount!

[kathyd]

A new development, or a whole new problem??

While I was shutting the birds away this evening I noticed that one of them is wheezing.. I think it's on the in-breath, although it's a bit hard to tell. Is this a symptom of gapeworm in the throat? If so, I assume I need to bring forward the next treatment of Flubenvet, which isn't due to start until the week after next if I leave it the recommended 3 weeks...?

Is she in any immediate danger (overnight)? It's the first time I've noticed it, and she doesn't seem distressed at the moment so I've left her with the others for now.

For info: she's moulting quite heavily although has started to re-feather a bit, and they roost on top of the coop in an outbuilding. I've covered most of the external windows so they're not in a direct draught, but she's on the outside edge of the row nearest the windows, being the bottom of the hierarchy.

I'm still finding red stuff in their poo, both adults and teenagers.

I couldn't see any other symptoms like bubbles in her nose, a wet nose, runny eyes etc.

Advice (again) please...

thx

[Scarlet]

I'm not sure Kathy, in theory the flubenvet should have killed their worms so the rattling could well be something else. My gut feeling is wait the recommended 3 weeks. Haven't you had birds with respiratory problems before? Is there any obvious stretching of the neck and/or shake of the head as if they've got a tickle in their ear? It could just be the sniffles....
Gape Worm or Syngamus Trachea | Digestive System Problems

[kathyd]

I know it should have killed the worms Scarlet, but I'm not convinced it has... I'm sure I shouldn't still be seeing so many red bits in their poo apart from anything else. Yes, I've had other birds with respiratory problems, but it's been different. This is more like she's whistling as she breathes in, with the others it's been a wetter noise and/or rattling on the out-breath too. She's not stretched her neck or shaken her head, which I take as a good sign. Two of the young ones have coughed a couple of times? I'm getting paranoid and seeing something sinister in everything now . I did wonder if she'd caught a cold or something, since she's not well feathered and the weather's bizaare, swinging from quite hot at times to really quite cold, but I don't want to ignore something more serious by assuming something easy. I suppose I'll just have to monitor it and see how things go for a bit longer. I'll be bald soon.

Edit: Thanks for the link

[Scarlet]

Have a look at this poo chart.
4. Poo - The Chicken Keeper's Guide in Poultry FAQs and other Information - Page 1

Look at the pic on the 7th row down, one with red bits - this is normal. Is that what you've seen.

[kathyd]

I've seen this before, it's really useful isn't it . Some of the ones I've seen look like those yes, but some of them, when you pick the poo apart, seem to be made up of long strings. Those are the ones I'm worried about. I was looking at a site the other day where a Proper Expert Chicken Keeper was talking about gapeworms, and had a photo of some poo - even she couldn't tell if it was worms or not, so she had a sample checked by the vet in the end. It was intestinal sheddings as it turned out, but the fact that she couldn't tell did suggest it's not always easy! I'd almost stopped worrying about the red bits until Rosie started wheezing tonight, and I immediately thought 'ack, she's got a gullet full of worms!'. I hope I'm wrong, and just being paranoid. Anyway, at least I've got enough Flubenvet to dose them all again - I'll try really hard to wait until the week after next .

[kathyd]

OK, well in addition to the wheezing bird, I've now got one stretching her neck and opening her beak. I'm afraid I'm going to start the treatment a week early despite what it says on the box, and if necessary do a third course in a further 3 weeks.