✪ FDA Approves Fenbendazole for Use in Laying Hens to Treat Large Roundworms and Cecal Worms ✪

[PNWchkns]

So you need to do this for 5 consecutive days.

Ok one last question - sorry If I were to do the full amount is it correct that .25ml for bantams, .5ml for standards, and .75ml for large breeds?

One of my coops isn’t laying so I figure they could get the full dose. And it’s full dose once and wait for ten days?

 

[pibb]

I'd sure hope your coop isn't laying...

Safeguard Zero Day Egg Withdrawal (no egg withdrawal period)

The regular dose requires a 14 day egg withdrawal after the last dose. You then redose them 7-10 days later so this totals up to near a month without eggs. This dose is 0.23 ml of Safeguard per lb of bodyweight for 3-5 consecutive days, then repeat 7-10 days later. A 4 lb chicken would get 0.92 ml of Safeguard medicine each of those days.

Unless for some reason you know who lays which egg, I would just give them all the same type of dose (regular or zero day).

 

[PNWchkns]

I'd sure hope your coop isn't laying...

Safeguard Zero Day Egg Withdrawal (no egg withdrawal period)

The regular dose requires a 14 day egg withdrawal after the last dose. You then redose them 7-10 days later so this totals up to near a month without eggs. This dose is 0.23 ml of Safeguard per lb of bodyweight for 3-5 consecutive days, then repeat 7-10 days later. A 4 lb chicken would get 0.92 ml of Safeguard medicine each of those days.

Unless for some reason you know who lays which egg, I would just give them all the same type of dose (regular or zero day).

Heck I wish my coop laid eggs - maybe it would be consistent. lol

My finance wants to do the full dose and treat for everything worm wise just incase. I know I found roundworm in one coop and I’m assuming all should be treated.

Would doing the 3 day treatment with .23ml per lb of safeguard liquid be enough to treat everything?
And after the 3 days I would wait 7-10 and dose for another 3 at that dosage?

There’s so much information I’m getting myself confused!

 

[pibb]

It does not treat tapeworms. You have to use another medicine for tapeworms which is where a fecal test comes in handy knowing exactly which worms you have.

I think it may be 5 consecutive days of treatment then wait 7-10 days and repeat the same thing like @casportpony said.

Its ok. I understand it is alot to take in.

 

[casportpony]

Would doing the 3 day treatment with .23ml per lb of safeguard liquid be enough to treat everything?

3 days *might* work, but most vets and books say 5 days to treat capillary worms.

And after the 3 days I would wait 7-10 and dose for another 3 at that dosage?

That is not clear in my books, so I don't know for sure. Some people do, some don't.

 

[PNWchkns]

3 days *might* work, but most vets and books say 5 days to treat capillary worms.

That is not clear in my books, so I don't know for sure. Some people do, some don't.

May I ask if they were your chickens what you would do? I swabbed their throat and didn’t find any red worms. So round worm I know is there.

I’ll do the 5 day full dose treatment then wait ten then do another full dose. Ugh I hate feeling so insecure in my decision. Lol. I don’t want to hurt them

 

[casportpony]

If I were in your shoes I would collect a bunch of poop from a bunch of birds, place it in a container, stir well, and have it tested for worm eggs. If only large roundworm and cecal eggs were found I would treat using the FDA approved amount in their feed for five days. If capillary eggs were found, I would use Valbazen. I would use Valbazen because it treats capillary worms more effectively with a smaller dose and in less days.

 

[PoultryPedia]

I'm working on creating summary of info on fenbendazole & here's how I understand things thus far. If anyone spots something that needs revision, please give me a heads up!
___________________________

As Panacur AquaSol fenbendazole dewormer was being evaluated for use in chickens, this document was produced that has many details: Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use assessment report for Panacur AquaSol

From info on page 12, it looks like the dose for treating for adult Ascaridia galli (large roundworms) and Heterakis gallinarum (cecal worms, which can also carry blackhead disease) should be:
1 mg of fenbendazole per kg of bird's body weight, given for 5 consecutive days
(which is the same as 0.454 mg of fenbendazole per pound of bird's body weight.)
[Side note: Horses are normally dosed for worms at 5 to 10 mg of fenbendazole per kg of horse's body weight.]

Note: 3 kg (6.6 lbs) can be used as a very general weight for a backyard breed hen.

For measuring, you can use a very small syringe (1 mL is the same as 1 cc.), or you can just approximate that a pea-sized amount is 0.25 mL.

Here's how that should translate when using various products:

Panacur Aquasol liquid dewormer (for chickens and pigs)
has 200 mg of fenbendazole per 1 mL of liquid. If being precise, you would give 0.005 mL of liquid for each kg of bird's weight each day.

Safe-guard 10% liquid goat dewormer
has 100 mg of fenbendazole per 1 mL of liquid. (The bottle contains 125 mL total of liquid.] If being precise, you would give 0.01 mL of liquid for each kg of bird's weight each day.

Safe-guard and Panacur 10% paste horse dewormers
each have 100 mg of fenbendazole per 1 gram of paste and the tube contains a 25 grams total of paste. If being precise, for each kg of your bird's weight you would give 1% of 1/25th of the contents of the tube each day.

Bottom line:
You only need a tiny bit for deworming a single chicken.

Fenbendazole has a wide margin of safety, however, so some overdosing is not as risky as with many other medications.
My birds don't mind eating fenbendazole. Based on my experience and others', I'm thinking it is commonly safe to give a tiny pea-sized amount on a very small piece of bread to each chicken, and that amount is plenty to be effective if you give for 5 days.

Withdrawal times are listed on page 10, to use when dosing 1 mg/kg:
Eggs-- No withdrawal needed.
Meat-- 6 days.

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Alternate possible dosing based on one particular study--

Against large roundworms and cecal worms:
10 mg fenbendazole per kg of body weight for 3 consecutive days.

Against Raillietina (broad-headed tapeworms) and Syngamus trachea (gapeworms):
15 to 20 mg of fenbendazole per kg of body weight for 3 consecutive days.
* This highest dose would only be a little more than 1/2 mL for an average-size hen.
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I wanted to get this info added here, and will soon get it updated on my general Chicken Medicine Chart.

 

[PoultryPedia]

@casportpony -- Thanks for giving such excellent detailed info on how to dose a group of chickens using a mash, on the thread at www.backyardchickens.com/threads/safeguard-mash-zero-day-egg-withdrawal.1254653/ !!! I hadn't read instructions on doing that before & very much appreciate your sharing details & specifics!

 

[casportpony]

@casportpony -- Thanks for giving such excellent detailed info on how to dose a group of chickens using a mash, on the thread at www.backyardchickens.com/threads/safeguard-mash-zero-day-egg-withdrawal.1254653/ !!! I hadn't read instructions on doing that before & very much appreciate your sharing details & specifics!

You're welcome! And thanks to you for your most excellent post here.