Eye Worms - I Give Up

[paramedic07]

Ive Had An Eye Worms Infestation That I Thought I Had Nearly Eliminated. But Its Come Back With A Vengence The Last Few Days And I Give Up. Ill Keep Them Comfortable Till Its Either Gone Or The Ones Affected Die Off.

Its Mostly All The Ones That Are Not A Year Old Or Older Affected.

Ive Been Treating And Treating With Vet Rx. Im Just Frustrated And Give Up.

Is There Any Broad Spectrum De Wormer Medication I Can Give Thru The Waterers ? Otherwise Mother Nature Can Take Its Course And Slowly Eliminate Them All.

 

[hcppam]

What the flip, eye worms? I better re-think this chicken thig...what don't they get?

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
You can order Valbazen (albendazole) liquid cattle/sheep wormer from Jefferslivestock.com or call them. Valbazen kills all known worms that chickens get. Mix equal parts of valbazen and water and drop it into the eyes. Then give each chicken 1/2cc undiluted orally, right down the throat. It's best to use a syringe without a needle. Repeat dosing in 10 days.

 

[paramedic07]

theres gotta be something less invasive like that

 

[ChicKat]

Quote:
Hi Paramedic07

Of course they are your chickens, and all the choices are yours, and of course all the frustration is yours too....

You may take the approach of putting a few drops of paraciteide on the backs of the necks of your chickens. The product must touch the skin and not be absorbed by the feathers or fluff. We have cattle so I used Cydectin after checking with one of our vets. (but that was for Gapeworm...my chicken had several types of worm) The products that contain Ivermec,Ivomectin etc. (the same product that is in the monthly heart-worm pills for dogs) will kill worms and is less invasive, perhaps than going down their throats. There is an egg-withdrawal period of 14 days.

I used Vet RX and did need to repeat a few times. I think Vet RX is a mechanical method of flushing out the worm, and the other medicated methods are medicinal. (are you a paramedic?? it should be a piece of cake for you).

Here are some posts....
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=6987705#p6987705
within is more eyeworm info, and a link to the book written by the discoverer of eyeworm in chickens.

Once they thought the only cure for eyeworm was surgery. Subsequently, I have found an eye drop, reputed to cure with 2-drops in the chicken's eye and prevent with one drop once a month. (got if from New Tree on line, the company is located in the Phillipines. ) So the cures have become easier.

Regarding re-infection the parasite lifecycle has an intermediate host a surinam cockroach. IF there is any wood pile or wood debris or any other locations that roaches could hide out, then removing them can break the cycle. without the roach, the parasite lifecycle is not completed. Also the time from the roach eating the egg in the chicken droppings to the time when the larvae inside the roach that the chicken eats can infect the chicken is 4-months. Wild birds and game birds are supposedly a big part of the eyeworm lifecycle, especially pheasants. Any debris where the roach could hide if removeable (like a woodpile) can help break the lifecycle.

As discouraging as it is, don't give up. Perhaps you are nearly there (cured)

 

[ChicKat]

Quote:
haHaha...

I said nearly the same thing.... "If I had known there was such a thing, I never would have gotten chickens". Much less getting a chicken with it. Yikes.

Now months later, I'm sooooooo glad that I got chickens, and you know what? Eyeworm is cureable. (even preventable with Oxy Rid)--- but, that can't be used for meat birds.

Take heart hcppam-- it's all worth it. :O)

 

[paramedic07]

i havent seen a single cock roach around my coops. no piles of wood around either.

 

[ChicKat]

Quote:
I know exactly what you are saying...not only that but cockroaches are nocternal and chickens are diurnal (did I spell that right) so while the chickens are sleeping the roaches come out and while the roaches are sleeping the chickens are out. I think that it is possible to bring one in that is like a hitch-hiker on a bag of feed from a feedstore warehouse etc.

Just hoping that you do find a way to get them cured. (things always look brighter in the morning). Good luck.

 

[hcppam]

Quote:
haHaha...

I said nearly the same thing.... "If I had known there was such a thing, I never would have gotten chickens". Much less getting a chicken with it. Yikes.

Now months later, I'm sooooooo glad that I got chickens, and you know what? Eyeworm is cureable. (even preventable with Oxy Rid)--- but, that can't be used for meat birds.

Take heart hcppam-- it's all worth it. :O)

I know earlier dawg53 was helping a person with worms in there eggs...holy mole, I probably wont look at breakfast the same way again. LOL

 

[ChicKat]

hcppam

It's one of those things in life that sounds worse than it is. What did Nietzsche say? "what ever doesn't kill us makes us stronger' anyway, someone said it

but then, I never saw a worm in an egg......