Yawning Chicken

[EcclesCake]

One of my hens seems to yawn a lot. I've read that this can be due to them shifting food in their crop after a greedy feeding session but it isn't always the case with this girl.

Any thoughts?

[mazie]

Perhaps she's a little tired

[EcclesCake]

She's not the stay up late and party hard kind of girl Mazie ;-)

[jim360]

Keep an eye on it, but if she looks otherwise happy it's probably nothing to worry about.

[mallyh]

too many hen parties lol

[mazie]

Tut... not like us then Eccles ;o)

[mazie]

LOL Mally x

[jim360]

Eggscellent pun mally, made me crack up.

[mallyh]

i enjoy a good yolk lol

[mazie]

If just been on a chicken forum Eccles, yawning was mentioned as being associated with Gapeworm (whatever that is)

[ilovebrie]

Seriously - could she have Gape worm?
http://poultrykeeper.com/digestive-system-problems/gape-worm-or-syngamus-trachea

[dustypuss]

Mazie It,s a Worm that takes a year out from school:-)

[dustypuss]

http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/dc/8e/04/dc8e04948afbdbf920adbd36b8361270.jpg

[Retrochic]

Its worms -your hen has worms

[mazie]

LOL puss. x

[EcclesCake]

They are regularly wormed and there is no evidence of worms.

[Clanad]

Probably benign, but keep an eye on her. It's fairly rare, but gapeworm infection can cause repeated "yawning" in the birds.

If she keeps it up or if other of your flock begin to demonstrate the yawning, take a look inside their mouths, especially down their throat (not an easy job!) and look for signs of blisters, red sidewalls and also see if the bird(s) have runny eyes and diarrhea. Often, the birds can be heard, if held, wheezing or gurgling.

Here in the U.S., we use Flubenvet in their food and recover rather quickly...

[Clanad]

Hmmm., no answers were present when I posted... looks like you now have an abundance of advice...

[EcclesCake]

Thanks Clanad, I had thought of gapeworm and checked her over the other day and there was no evidence and she is fine in every other way.

I too use Flubenvet, they had a dose just a month ago.

[EcclesCake]

And thanks to others who suggested gapeworm.

Perhaps she is a party animal, I did think I heard strains of 'funky chicken' chicken coming from the coop the other night......

[EcclesCake]

Any thoughts from the evening crew would be appreciated.

As I've said I'm pretty sure it's not gapeworm or her being a Mrs Scoffalot.

She might just be a lazy beggar who yawns.......