Deworming Best Practices

[Matilda Poppyseed]

I've had a small flock of 5 hens for just over a year now and have noticed they're laying fewer eggs now than this time last year (0-2 eggs most days vs 2-4 this time last year). Also, most of the girls have poopy bums unlike this time last year. I've never dewormed them. Wondering if I should, and if so what's the best way to go about it? Or should I be looking for other reasons for the decreased laying and dirty bottoms? They are otherwise behaving normally.

 

[coach723]

First step is to see if your vet, or any vet near you will do a fecal float test to determine if you have a worm issue and which worm it is. Many vets will do the test even if they don't treat birds, but not all will. Then you can determine how to treat.
If you absolutely cannot get a test, then I'd use a broad spectrum wormer like Safeguard (fenbendazole) or Valbazen (albendazole). You will need to treat twice, 10 days apart, and that will take care of most common worms. Egg withdrawl recommendation is 14 days following treatment, so with two doses 10 days apart that is 24 days dumping eggs.

 

[hennypenney]

Is this the Safegaurd for cattle and goats? How much to use for chickens? Do you regularly do like once or twice a year? THANK YOU.

First step is to see if your vet, or any vet near you will do a fecal float test to determine if you have a worm issue and which worm it is. Many vets will do the test even if they don't treat birds, but not all will. Then you can determine how to treat.
If you absolutely cannot get a test, then I'd use a broad spectrum wormer like Safeguard (fenbendazole) or Valbazen (albendazole). You will need to treat twice, 10 days apart, and that will take care of most common worms. Egg withdrawl recommendation is 14 days following treatment, so with two doses 10 days apart that is 24 days dumping eggs.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, you can use the liquid goat wormer or the equine paste. The SafeGuard dosage is 0.25 ml (1/4 ml) per pound of weight given orally. If you have a more difficult to treat worm, such as gapeworm or capillary worm, treatment is for 3 or 5 consecutive days respectively. One treatment and repeated in 10 days will get the most common worms. If using Valbazen the dosage is 0.50-0.75ml once, and again in 10 days for all of those worms.

 

[hennypenney]

Thank you! Is this for tapeworm? Seeing tiny white speck. Do you know how long for egg withdrawal if used on layers?

 

[coach723]

Thank you! Is this for tapeworm? Seeing tiny white speck. Do you know how long for egg withdrawal if used on layers?

Here is a link to an older post on worming for tapeworm: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/best-de-wormer-for-tape-worms.723425/
Dosing can be different for tapeworm, depending on what you use.
Valbazen works on tapes, with different dosing, safeguard is not recommended for tapes as far as I know. (better advice in the link above).
Recommended withdrawl for eggs is 14 days following dose. (see my earlier post above).
As for frequency of worming, that can be different for different flocks. Depends on the worm load in your particular environment and will be determined by what is necessary to keep your birds healthy. Many people can do once or twice a year to keep the flock worm free, others may need to do 3 or even 4 times a year.

 

[hennypenney]

Thank you. I only want to do the fun parts of chicken keeping.

 

[hennypenney]

I haven't really seen tapes but was told the white spots in poop is tape segments.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sometimes light specks may be undigested feed. Usually with tapes they may be moving spots or short segments. Praziquantel is an active ingredient in some wormers and horse wormers (Zimectrin Gold and Equimax) that can be effective in tapes. Casportpony may be more knowledgeable with dosage. Tapes are more of a nuisance in poultry, usually not life threatening according to some literature, and can be hard to completely get rid of. Here is a video and some pictures to help (notice halfway through the video the worms are moving

 

[hennypenney]

Sometimes light specks may be undigested feed. Usually with tapes they may be moving spots or short segments. Praziquantel is an active ingredient in some wormers and horse wormers (Zimectrin Gold and Equimax) that can be effective in tapes. Casportpony may be more knowledgeable with dosage. Tapes are more of a nuisance in poultry, usually not life threatening according to some literature, and can be hard to completely get rid of. Here is a video and some pictures to help (notice halfway through the video the worms are moving

Yes that's kinda what I've seen, but nothing moving.
I do appreciate all the information! Thanks so much.