Deworming complications?

[bhawk-23]

June 23rd- I brought a stool sample in for testing. Results came back with just a few strongyle eggs and recommendation was no treatment warranted at this time.

July 20th- start an immune system booster in their water. Consists of herbs and apple cider vinegar. Also some herbs in their morning mash.

July 23rd- found an adult roundworm on poop board.

July 24th- start safeguard treatment, 5 day slow kill method. The girls have weakened immune systems and thought this to be the safer option.

July 26th- found adult worms on poop board. I was shocked at how many! I attached a picture of what I found.

July 27th- extremely low output on poop boards and under roosts this morning. Maybe about 1/3rd of the normal poop from overnight. Notice a couple girls still have partly full crops. Grit dish is full and all are eating, drinking and foraging as usual. One broody in particular has a very full crop.

Question- can this be from the deworming? Can a worm overload cause this? Do I need to treat for impacted crops today or wait for the deworming treatment to be done (tomorrow is the last dose). I had considered a very small amount of molasses in some mash this afternoon/evening.

And how the heck can they be overloaded when 1 month ago their fecal was ok?

Could the herbal and acv treatment in their water have killed the first adult roundworm I found 3-4 days after adding to their water?

I would like to start a tylosin treatment today but I'm worried about overloading their systems if they are struggling with this deworming.

Any thoughts on how to proceed?

Thank you for any wisdom, or guesses, that can be offered.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Why do you want to start Tylosin?

Looks like they had a severe infestation of Roundworms if you are finding that many on the poop board.

Finish your 5 day course of Safeguard (0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 5 days).

See that everyone is drinking well and eating their normal feed.

 

[MysteryChicken]

If you suspect an impacted crop, wait till early in the morning, & see if their crops have emptied completely?

For treatment of impacted crop, feed hardened coconut oil, & massage in a circular motion. Do not make the bird vomit. You should feel the crop shrink as the contents empties.

 

[Percheron chick]

You took a sample from one hen not a representative sample of the entire flock . Some animals are naturally more resistant to worms. Could of just been the timing of the sample in relation to the life cycle of the worms. Roundworms go from egg to adult in a month.
The herbal and acv treatment didn't have any effect on the worms. That was normal shedding.
If they are having a heavy die off, they will be out of sort for a few days. No cause for concern.

 

[bhawk-23]

Why do you want to start Tylosin?

Looks like they had a severe infestation of Roundworms if you are finding that many on the poop board.

Finish your 5 day course of Safeguard (0.23ml per pound of weight given orally once a day for 5 days).

See that everyone is drinking well and eating their normal feed.

DS and I sit outside with a list of all the girls and mark once we've seen them eat some deworming mash and drinking water.
I've never seen an overload of worms like that! I am referring to all my pets of late and current.

I keep your dosing recommendation in my chicken care kit

The tylosin treatment is for the girls sneezing and some are now head scratching a lot. With the mycoplasma I would like to get them treated before it gets worse.

If you suspect an impacted crop, wait till early in the morning, & see if their crops have emptied completely?

For treatment of impacted crop, feed hardened coconut oil, & massage in a circular motion. Do not make the bird vomit. You should feel the crop shrink as the contents empties.

I'm fairly certain this one has not eaten since she is broody but I don't know for sure.
I'll give her coconut oil and a massage this evening.

You took a sample from one hen not a representative sample of the entire flock . Some animals are naturally more resistant to worms. Could of just been the timing of the sample in relation to the life cycle of the worms. Roundworms go from egg to adult in a month.
The herbal and acv treatment didn't have any effect on the worms. That was normal shedding.
If they are having a heavy die off, they will be out of sort for a few days. No cause for concern.

I brought in a flock sample. Some from the poop boards and run. This is why I'm confused. They could have just grabbed the wrong part, it is a teaching university.

Unfortunately, I am constantly concerned, to the point of being stressed and a bit obsessed. It's been exhausting and traumatic losing 5 birds in 3 months due to mycoplasma and Marek's.

Edit: I have not found any roundworms yet today.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

DS and I sit outside with a list of all the girls and mark once we've seen them eat some deworming mash and drinking water.

The tylosin treatment is for the girls sneezing and some are now head scratching a lot. With the mycoplasma I would like to get them treated before it gets worse.

Then by all means treat them with the Tylosin. Afik, there are no contraindications between Fenbendazole and Tylosin, but do your research just to be sure about that.

So you are giving a Safeguard mash instead of direct dosing each bird? Hope that works well for you.

 

[bhawk-23]

Then by all means treat them with the Tylosin. Afik, there are no contraindications between Fenbendazole and Tylosin, but do your research just to be sure about that.

So you are giving a Safeguard mash instead of direct dosing each bird? Hope that works well for you.

I've done the 5 day in their mash with good results last time. But, during that whole treatment I only found 1 adult roundworm in the run from 17 chickens and none under their roosts. This time I have found all of those with only 7 hens and all were under their roosts. I am clearly dealing with a lot more than last time.

Thank you, I think I'll start the tylosin tomorrow so I can observe their behavior today and see if more worms are present under roosts and crops are ok in the morning.