Fecal path report help

[ksRNmama]

I’ve done several searches and thought I’d post here to just get some definitive answers from you experts. For at least a few months I’ve noticed quite a variety of poop happening, nothing that had me hugely concerned but definitely more malodorous Than usual and some pretty runny. Most look totally fine. However, we have a had a seriously muddy and wet spring, and the chicken yard can get super mucky. We have plans to till, remove dirt, regrade and then add sand/rocks to facilitate batter drainage, which is a major issue after any amount of rain.

I have 25 adult hens, various breeds, and added 17 chicks within the last few months, dusting this time, I’ve noticed more strange types of poop, like more diarrhea etc. then I started seeing blood. I hoped it was food (strawberries etc), but then I actually saw a 3-4 inch dead round worm floating in a mud puddle in their yard. I know we have perfect conditions for this nightmare so we’ll address that but the blood was the last straw & I knew we needed to treat the birds.

Even before this discovery, I took a random fecal sampling to my vet (sees our dog and cats, doesn’t do farm animals or exotics so doesn’t see my chickens).....and I’m attaching the report. I have safegaurd (both the liquid for goats and the paste for horses) & Corid on hand.
Can you guys verify that I need to give both? My understanding is:

large amount of Heretakis (causes blackhead? which most chickens have and are fine and we have no turkeys so this isn’t a huge problem) - can be treated w safeguard?

Med amount of Emeria oocysts (these cause coccidiosis?) - should we treat with Corid?

Very few Capillariid ova (Capillary worms eggs?) - treat w safeguard?

and what about the Giardia? This freaks me out - is there guardian in their poop too? I know humans can get it, so how do we treat for that? .

My plan was to individually dose each bird with a bit of bread laced with appropriate dose of safegaurd so I can be sure they’re getting treated. Can (or should?) I add Corid to the water concurrently?

I’m trying hard not to, but I’m really kind of freaking out. I have little kids and pets and this report looks really awful!!!!

 

[dawg53]

I would treat for coccidiosis first, then go after the worms, then the giardia.
Dosage for the Corid 9.6% liquid solution is 9.5ml per gallon of water for 5 days. Make it fresh daily and dont add anything to the mixture.

I recommend Safeguard liquid goat wormer. Dosage is 0.23ml per pound for each bird for 5 days straight. This will take care of all the worms that your birds have.
Administer it orally using a syringe without a needle. Worm your birds first thing each morning before they eat. It is the best time to worm them because that's when the worms are at their weakest. This way you know they got properly wormed. Then there's no guesswork about using bread when they either steal it from each other or wont eat it at all and which ones got properly dosed or not.

Simply preload your syringe with the liquid wormer. Have someone firmly hold the hen for you. With your free hand, pull down on the wattles and her mouth will open. Use your other hand with the syringe to quickly shoot the liquid in her mouth and then immediately let go of the wattles so she can swallow the liquid on her own. Only use 1/2ml liquid at a time when administering it in this manner. If you use too much liquid and dont let go of the wattles right away, the bird can aspirate. Do it in this manner 5 days in a row, then you're done.

Treatment for Giardia is Metronidazole 250mg given orally to each bird once a day for 5 days straight.

 

[Eggcessive]

Your vet can write a prescription for metronidazole, or you can get it online called FishZole. Here is a link for it p, but some usual sources seem to be out of stock:
https://entirelypetspharmacy.com/me...MIkIWsk5eo6gIV0MDACh0rrgE0EAQYAyABEgIhzfD_BwE

 

[ksRNmama]

Thank you both so much for replying and this info, it’s really so helpful!!
Another question - can I start treating daily for the worms with the safeguard while they’re getting the Corid in the water?
And just to verify, I have five itty bitty silkies (~6-7 wks old); they can get the wormer at their size? Is it better to just assume they weigh a pound and give 1/4 ml? I’m sure they’re not even that heavy but just want to make sure it’s better to over than underdose. I guess that ? applies to everyone.
Thanks again!!!

 

[Folly's place]

I disagree with the above, and would treat with fenbendazole first, for five days, because it will deal with all the parasites found except the coccidia. It also will treat the giardia when given fro five days in a row. If your birds, especially the chicks, are ill because of coccidia, you may need to treat them for that first. Most chcikens will carry some coccidia, but have partial immunity as they grow up, to the strains in their environment.
Do not get that metronidazole!!! It's unnecessary, and not approved for chickens anyway.
Mary

 

[dawg53]

Coccidia is a killer, particularly Eimeria Tenella and Eimeria Necatrix, treat with Corid first.
Corid is a thiamine blocker, if you wish to treat with safeguard at the same time, go ahead. Since the giardia cycsts are few and far between, the fenbendazole should be able to treat it as well. Dont worry about overdosing with safeguard it would probably require 100 x the dose to have an adverse reaction. 1/4ml is fine for your small birds.

 

[dawg53]

I disagree with the above, and would treat with fenbendazole first, for five days, because it will deal with all the parasites found except the coccidia. It also will treat the giardia when given fro five days in a row. If your birds, especially the chicks, are ill because of coccidia, you may need to treat them for that first. Most chcikens will carry some coccidia, but have partial immunity as they grow up, to the strains in their environment.
Do not get that metronidazole!!! It's unnecessary, and not approved for chickens anyway.
Mary

For severe giardia infection what do you recommend? I know Valbazen and Safeguard will treat light giardia infections, but are not the drugs of choice.

 

[Folly's place]

I do know more about dogs and cats, and there, fenbendazole, given five days in a row (or ten days straight) and repeated in three weeks, is the drug of choice for giardia.
Different strains of giardia will affect multiple species, sometime including humans, and the different strains can't be distinguished on fecals. We all just want to keep washing out hands, and not kissing our critters...
Since metronidazole is not at all on an approved list for poultry, I'd stick with fenbendazole.
Mary

 

[Folly's place]

Also, it wouldn't hurt to call the state vet expert at the state vet path lab; here we have Dr. Fulton at Michigan State University. State universities who have poultry departments would be a good resource too.
Mary

 

[casportpony]

can I start treating daily for the worms with the safeguard while they’re getting the Corid in the water?

Yes, you can give both at the same time.

And just to verify, I have five itty bitty silkies (~6-7 wks old); they can get the wormer at their size? Is it better to just assume they weigh a pound and give 1/4 ml?

Can you buy a food scale and weigh the smaller ones? That's what I would do. Their dose is 0.05 ml per 100 grams for five days.