Are these normal poops?

[Amelise]

That's what I get too.
I've seen some folks using this product as a dewormer. I'm having a hard time finding all the labeling and manufacturing info for this specific product.
If you notice on the front label it says:
"Fenbendazole can be used as a G.I. supplement to help protect against:"
This wording bothers me. I'd like to see the back label and how it reads.

BUT, I agree the dosing of one capsule at 6.7mg Fenbendazole is too low for a bird of 4-7lbs (what a wide weight range too!). Even at the lowest dose of 10mg/kg one capsule would be underdosing.

Maybe I'm just not seeing it?




View attachment 3306224

I’m assuming the warning statements are just to cover their butts? Can this work as an actual dewormer?
I would love to go get Henrietta evaluated by a vet but we’re just so tight on money right now. I’m not even sure if they’d be willing to do a fecal test for me, without bringing the bird in.

 

[coach723]

Normal dosing with fenbendazole is to treat 5 days in a row, unless you are treating just for roundworm. The 5 days in a row will take care of everything except tapeworm. If you know it's just roundworm you can just do 2 doses 10 days apart. If you do the 5 days in a row you don't have to repeat in 10 days.
The back label can be seen in one of the images here: though it's small and sideways and not very easy to see:
https://www.jefferspet.com/poultry-...BiFZzKLlmPaIy-FlndfST-Z7ZhvBxfiUaAj2cEALw_wcB
My math says the dose for 3.6 lbs would be 82.8 mg (I would round to 83) which would be just under 12 1/2 capsules, I would just give 13 since each one is only 6.7 mg.
Honestly, if it's an option, I would get the liquid goat wormer, and dose with that rather than trying to get that many capsules down her. If it's not an option, then I would dose 13 capsules a day for 5 days in a row.

 

[Amelise]

Normal dosing with fenbendazole is to treat 5 days in a row, unless you are treating just for roundworm. The 5 days in a row will take care of everything except tapeworm. If you know it's just roundworm you can just do 2 doses 10 days apart. If you do the 5 days in a row you don't have to repeat in 10 days.
The back label can be seen in one of the images here: though it's small and sideways and not very easy to see:
https://www.jefferspet.com/poultry-...BiFZzKLlmPaIy-FlndfST-Z7ZhvBxfiUaAj2cEALw_wcB
My math says the dose for 3.6 lbs would be 82.8 mg (I would round to 83) which would be just under 12 1/2 capsules, I would just give 13 since each one is only 6.7 mg.
Honestly, if it's an option, I would get the liquid goat wormer, and dose with that rather than trying to get that many capsules down her. If it's not an option, then I would dose 13 capsules a day for 5 days in a row.

Wow! 13 capsules?? We bought 2 bottles and have used 6 capsules so far. Not sure if we have access to liquid goat dewormer so if I have enough I might be able to give it a go??
100-6= 94. 13x5=65. I think it could work? Kind of hard to see there being 50 capsules in such a small bottle but I guess there has to be.
So, starting tomorrow, I’ll give her 13 capsules for 5 days. If the watery poop doesn’t clear up, I’ll see if maybe we can do a fecal test. If that comes out negative, then I guess it’s safe to assume that Henrietta just really loves to drink water.
I’ve been kind of holding back from saying this because it’s so scary, but on Thursday I cleared off the poop board and saw a poo with a teeny bit of red in it. Today I cleared it again, and I saw maybe 1 or 2 more poos with a bit of red. The only thing that is abnormal about Henrietta is her poos, so I’m holding out hope that maybe she just shed her uterine lining? I heard somewhere chickens do that. She just started laying this week, she’s laid 3 eggs so far. She’s a bit over 2 years old. I hope this treatment works.

 

[coach723]

The red is probably intestinal shed (not uterine shed). Pictures are always welcome, and can be helpful. Seeing it occasionally can be nothing to worry about, but seeing a lot of it or seeing it often can indicate a problem, worms are a common cause, they can really irritate the intestinal tract. Giving the 13 capsules should be enough of a daily dose, good luck with that, i don't know how big those capsules are! The Liquid Goat wormer is often available at Tractor Supply stores and feed stores, one of the reasons it's so commonly used. But if you don't have it or can't find it, then the capsules should work at the correct dose.
How many birds do you have? There are a couple of types of worms that you would generally only treat the affected or symptomatic birds, but with some it's recommended that you treat the entire flock. Like roundworm, if one has them, then the whole flock has been exposed and they are really easily picked up in the environment (and spread in every dropping that an infected bird deposits). So if she gets better following worming, then I would strongly consider worming everybody. In that case I would try to find the liquid, it would be a lot easier for doing multiple birds. If you can't find it locally, you can mail order it from many sources. Here's one:
https://www.jefferspet.com/safeguar...3ISpzaQnURsTyj4j9tR1sJjDPB7t4WTAaAkjnEALw_wcB
I suspect it may be more economical in the long run than the capsules also.

 

[Amelise]

The red is probably intestinal shed (not uterine shed). Pictures are always welcome, and can be helpful. Seeing it occasionally can be nothing to worry about, but seeing a lot of it or seeing it often can indicate a problem, worms are a common cause, they can really irritate the intestinal tract. Giving the 13 capsules should be enough of a daily dose, good luck with that, i don't know how big those capsules are! The Liquid Goat wormer is often available at Tractor Supply stores and feed stores, one of the reasons it's so commonly used. But if you don't have it or can't find it, then the capsules should work at the correct dose.
How many birds do you have? There are a couple of types of worms that you would generally only treat the affected or symptomatic birds, but with some it's recommended that you treat the entire flock. Like roundworm, if one has them, then the whole flock has been exposed and they are really easily picked up in the environment (and spread in every dropping that an infected bird deposits). So if she gets better following worming, then I would strongly consider worming everybody. In that case I would try to find the liquid, it would be a lot easier for doing multiple birds. If you can't find it locally, you can mail order it from many sources. Here's one:
https://www.jefferspet.com/safeguar...3ISpzaQnURsTyj4j9tR1sJjDPB7t4WTAaAkjnEALw_wcB
I suspect it may be more economical in the long run than the capsules also.

I think I’ll use the capsules, just because we already have them need to save as much money as we can right now.
I’m not proud to say it, but Henrietta is the only adult bird I have right now. Her other flock mates died back in Louisiana.
I have 11 chicks that have been outside the brooder once (would take them out more if it weren’t for the cold weather). I keep her away from them and the one time I took them outside they scratched around in the dirt bath pile. (Henrietta took a bath in it.) It seemed poopless to me. I’m being extra careful now to not cross contaminate my 2 week old chicks with anything Henrietta could be around, though they both live in the same garage. I have not seen any abnormal poops or behavior from the chicks so far. They have been on medicated crumbles for a week now. I will keep them on it for one more week.
If you think it is absolutely necessary, I will get the goat wormer if I need to treat the chicks too. I’m going to my local feed store tomorrow to pick up another bag of medicated chick feed and I could see if they have any liquid goat wormer. It depends on the cost.
If there are any more red stools, I will send a pic.

 

[coach723]

I understand. The capsules should work fine. I would just consider something easier down the road when you decide to buy more. Trying to do a dozen birds with the capsules is something that I would not like to have to do! I have to worm every 3 months for roundworm, and I do between 25 - 30 birds usually. The capsules in those numbers would be a non-starter for me. I can do all mine with the liquid in 30-45 minutes and be done.

 

[Amelise]

I understand. The capsules should work fine. I would just consider something easier down the road when you decide to buy more. Trying to do a dozen birds with the capsules is something that I would not like to have to do! I have to worm every 3 months for roundworm, and I do between 25 - 30 birds usually. The capsules in those numbers would be a non-starter for me. I can do all mine with the liquid in 30-45 minutes and be done.

I certainly will look into using goat wormer as a long term, that is very good advice. For this particular instance, I’ll use the capsules and look at getting the goat wormer for future worming sessions.

By the way, I’m only keeping the best 3 of my chicks to move in with Henrietta so I can show them. I love them all so, but I do not enough space for a whole 12 chickens! I have some grandparents that would love to get into chicken keeping and because I’m only keeping 3 of my Ameraucanas, I’m planning on giving the grandparents the other 8 once they hit 6 weeks old. (With the deal that we’ll do any rooster re homing for them).

Thanks so much for your help! I’ll keep y’all updated on how the situation is going. Happy chicken keeping

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I agree with @coach723 on the dosing.

If she's the only one you are going to treat, it looks like on the instructions you can mix the powder that's in the capsule with food. You may have better luck trying that.
I'd separate her out, mix it with something yummy like a SMALL amount of canned cat food, liver wurst - something she will eat as a "treat". Once she finishes her daily treat, then let her go back to doing her chickening.

 

[Amelise]

I agree with @coach723 on the dosing.

If she's the only one you are going to treat, it looks like on the instructions you can mix the powder that's in the capsule with food. You may have better luck trying that.
I'd separate her out, mix it with something yummy like a SMALL amount of canned cat food, liver wurst - something she will eat as a "treat". Once she finishes her daily treat, then let her go back to doing her chickening.

It’s kind of crazy, she takes those pills surprisingly well. Like, she thinks they’re a treat or something. If it’s safe for her to have all 13 of the outer part of the capsules, I’m pretty sure she will take all 13 by hand.
If not, I think I can mix it in with some wetted chick crumbles (she’s in love with those). Although at this point, I’m pretty tired of making stinky wet chicken food stews from when I was trying to get my wry chick to eat her vitamins, lol!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It’s kind of crazy, she takes those pills surprisingly well. Like, she thinks they’re a treat or something. If it’s safe for her to have all 13 of the outer part of the capsules, I’m pretty sure she will take all 13 by hand.
If not, I think I can mix it in with some wetted chick crumbles (she’s in love with those). Although at this point, I’m pretty tired of making stinky wet chicken food stews from when I was trying to get my wry chick to eat her vitamins, lol!

If she will willing take the capsules then go for it! If she balks, then you'll have a plan B