Eggciting questions about worming (-;

[McGoo]

My chickens had worms... so I followed BYC advice and wormed them... first pepperzine, twice, to remove some of the worms. And then I used ivermectin, twice. Ivermectin kills all worms/parasites, but if they'd had a great deal of worms, deworming w/ ivermectin initially, I'm told, could have killed my hens.

Well they're alive and mostly well, but I have a couple questions:

My White Plymouth Rock, who was the sickest, seems to be opening her mouth - like yawning or something and I'm wondering if that has anything to do with worming or is it a sign of something else. She's been a problem since I got her... her comb is pink (though turning reddish now) and she was definitely filled with worms. Any ideas?

How soon can I eat their eggs again??

Thanks all

 

[purpletree23]

I'm glad everyone is on the mend. Too bad about the hen that is 'yawning'. I would look up gapeworm. She might need another treatment of the ivermectin.

I don't know what the wait time is for eating eggs if you use oral wormer but I've been told that is you use 'pour on ivermecton for cattle' there is not a wait time.

Hope someone else comes along with help.

Just courious but how did your chickens get such a worm load? Weather?

 

[McGoo]

I happened to buy these birds after a fox killed all of my hens. I realized that they were probably not in the best shape when I got them, but I wanted them and would work to solve their problems.

Thanks so much for the info on the gapeworm. I'll investigate. I just gave her anothe dose of the ivermectin, so we'll see if and how she improves.