Worming

[The Peckers]

Hello!

Let me desecribe my situation. I have 2 Barred Rock hens, about a year old. My dog has been sleeping with them (in the chicken coop) and generally staying with them 24/7 for about 3 months now (or more). I just got an order of ducklings and an order of chicks. I live in Bexar County, Texas. Lately we have had changing weather; from hot days and cold nights to both beinb hot as we are preparing to get into Spring and Summer. Also we’ve had a wet winter. My dog is on flee medication and our area has roaming cats and lots of mice.

So, today we got some hens from a family that is moving, and I noticed three of them had a dirty vent area. The smallest (thinnest) one had the dirtiest. She also has runny poop that has this sort of white foam. These hens have been happily living with the family for about 2 years. They often got “treats”, berries, seeds, et cetera. This worried me so I have decided to worm all my chickens with Wazine-17, then 10 days later with valbazen. I noticed one of my original hens also had a very dirty vent. I have never worried about nor wormed my chickens in my 5 years of raising them. We have a very, very large chicken area; as we usually also have lambs for 6 months of the year. I have wormed the lambs, but never the poultry or dog. Sometimes the chickens free range.

I have separated the new hens, plan on doing it for 30 days.

Is this a good corse of action? What type of worming plan do you recommend? Are the wormers I listed safe for my new chicks/ducklings as well? Are they safe for my dog?

Thank you so much.

I attached a picture of 2 pieces of poop from the new hens. The white foamy one (top) is from the hen with the worst vent, the other normal one (bottom) is from one of the other three.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

Hi there.

I never wormed either. So when I had suspected... took a fecal float to vet (mine was $25) and confirmed NO worms. This also makes sure that if you do treat you treat the correct species of worm. I won't treat without it otherwise it's a waste of my money, time, and effort, and subjects my birds to more chemicals.

I had goats, ducks, dogs, and a lot of chickens, plus the dreaded rats, opossum, raccoon, wild birds and such. But different weather conditions and such can make for different parasite load issues. Testing once or twice per year (i take in multiple samples from several birds in one kit to get an overall look, it's considered acceptable) might give you good idea where your pasture stands and help you decide if a treatment plan is needed. (if you are able)

Sometimes a dirty vent can be a sign of other parasites like mites or poultry lice. Inspecting after dark with a flash light is recommended. Part the feathers on the vent and abdomen and look for anything running away. These I do sometimes need to treat!

Other times, some hens just seem to have perpetual dirty bumm. Either they don't squat well enough or something to that effect is my best guess.

Keeping the new hens quarantined for 30 days is a food idea. Make sure they do show any respiratory or other symptoms that their previous family might not have seen yet, which is much harder to treat than worms.

New ducklings and chicks will not have any worms in their system yet.

Sorry I cannot give any information on your intended treatment aside from my other suggestions. Hope it's still helpful and maybe others will chime in.

 

[dawg53]

There is only one poultry wormer that treats only one specific worm, Wazine. Wazine only treats large roundworms.
All other wormers; valbazen, safeguard, pyrantel pamoate treat multiple worm types.
@The Peckers forget the wazine, just use the valbazen. Dose 1/2cc orally to each chicken and redose in 10 days. Dose them first thing in the morning before letting them eat or drink. The wormer will be more effective killing worms on an empty gut.
Then give them buttermilk mixed with plain boiled white rice to eat, make it a bit runny with the buttermilk because the rice will absorb it after awhile. Dont give them yogurt.

 

[Mosey2003]

I prefer Valbazen too. I never use Wazine because it only targets roundworms AND it kills them off rapidly, so if you did have a heavy load, it can cause issues to kill them like that.

I too have some that stay dirtier than others. I wondered if maybe more fiber was warranted, but I couldn't get the silly things to be interested in the whole oats I offered

 

[N8Yoder]

Does Valbazen come in different strengths? If so what strength should I give a hen who is about 5 pounds (normally 7) who has worms?

 

[Mosey2003]

Does Valbazen come in different strengths? If so what strength should I give a hen who is about 5 pounds (normally 7) who has worms?

Only one strength available. I usually give 0.5cc, but there are calculations back in the thread to calculate it exactly.

 

[dawg53]

Does Valbazen come in different strengths? If so what strength should I give a hen who is about 5 pounds (normally 7) who has worms?

1/2cc orally will work for your bird, repeat in 10 days.

 

[N8Yoder]

1/2cc orally will work for your bird, repeat in 10 days.

Thank you!