Coccidia in chickens

[twendt]

Do you recommend I get my girls tested for worms? They've never been tested. I have Wazine I never used. (It ended up being coccidiosis and I went back to the store for Corid). I put it their water, correct? and then I have to throw their eggs out for a period of time? Do you know how much I give? and how long I I throw her eggs away?

 

[coach723]

I personally think it's always best to get the fecal if it's possible. Better to know what exactly you are treating for and that way use the correct meds and dosing, and don't treat something that isn't there. Many people worm without tests due to inavailability for them of getting a test, or due to history of worms in the flock so it's a known issue. Wazine treats only large roundworms, so effective on those but not on any others. Dosing should be on the bottle. Most people follow a 14 day withdrawl following dosing for most wormers, its' difficult to find it in literature since most of them are not 'officially' approved for chickens.

 

[twendt]

I'm keeping a few backyard chickens in a suburb of Milwaukee, I'm breaking the law. The vets around here don't care for chickens even though Milwaukee and Wauwatosa (another suburb) allow up to 4 hens. I think there's so few of us small flock keepers, there isn't a demand for vet care. The farmers further out from the city treat their birds, well, like livestock. There is a vet who will see chickens, they're 38mi away in Rubicon. People I talk to routinely worm their large flocks in Fall and Spring. The also rotate the product they use, Valbazine, Safeguard and Ivermectin.

 

[coach723]

Many are able to worm once or twice a year and that is all that is needed to keep them healthy, every environment is different. I use Safeguard and Valbazen regularly in rotation, and have praziquantel for tapeworm, those are the most common ones used. Ivermectin has been reported to be losing effectiveness against many parasites. Wazine has been discontinued so the few sources left are very expensive and it's falling out of use except for those who may still have it on hand. Safeguard and Valbazen will take care of most of the common worms, and the praziquantel will work for tapeworm.

 

[twendt]

Got it. I'll have to find a source for praziquantel, my girls eat a lot of earthworms! They love 'em! So they probably have Tapeworms, ugh. They also have dirty butts, maybe a sign of infestation. Thanks for your knowledge!!

 

[coach723]

You can get praziquantel in Equimax Horse Paste and in Zimectrin Gold Horse paste, dosing is here in post #6, Eqimax has more praziquantel so is more bang for the buck:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tapeworms-that-wont-go-away.1130035/